Coastal Wave Disaster: High Marine Surges Sweep Two Anglers Off Taitung County Shoreline

Taitung, Taiwan—Two local anglers were swept off a treacherous rocky outcrop by towering coastal waves along the southeastern Taitung County coastline on Saturday afternoon, prompting a massive multi-agency search operation. The incident occurred at approximately 3:15 p.m. local time as sudden, heavy offshore swells whipped up by a distant Pacific weather disturbance crashed unexpectedly against the shore. Witnesses reported seeing a towering wall of water crest over the low-lying rock shelf where the two men were standing, pulling them instantly into the churning surf.

Coast Guard units dispatched patrol vessels and rigid-hull inflatable boats to the coordinates within twenty minutes of receiving the emergency call from a bystander on Highway 11. National Airborne Service Corps helicopters hovered low over the white-capped froth, scanning the jagged shoreline and offshore reefs against strong coastal winds. Rescuers struggled against dangerous maritime conditions as pounding waves battered the rocky shelf, preventing rescue divers from entering the immediate impact zone safely.

Local police identified the missing individuals as experienced recreational fishers from a nearby township who frequently frequented the remote coastal ledge. Family members gathered near the harbor master checkpoint as rescue coordinators mapped drift trajectories based on local tidal currents and wind vectors. Coast Guard spokespersons noted that maritime advisories had warned of high surf conditions across the eastern seaboard throughout the weekend.

The search radius was expanded northward toward Chenggong township as night fell, utilizing high-intensity searchlights and thermal imaging cameras mounted on patrol craft. Local authorities reiterated strict warnings prohibiting recreational access to unpaved coastal ledges and wave-cut platforms during periods of elevated marine instability. Search sweeps continued through the evening tide as emergency teams held out little hope of finding the victims alive given the freezing water temperatures and violent undertow.