About 80 fishermen rescued from burning vessel
Taiwanese rescue helicopters have pulled about 80 Chinese fishermen from a boat that was on fire near the southern port city of Kaohsiung.
Around 20 more fishermen were left on board, and rescue crews were racing to save them in rough seas caused by an approaching tropical storm.
TVBS cable news showed flames shooting out of the boat as the fishermen huddled in the front of the vessel and waited to be rescued.
Two navy Sikorsky Blackhawk helicopters are lowering lines to the crew members, pulling them up two at a time.
Fishermen are also jumping into the water and swimming to nearby rescuers in inflatable dinghies. The helicopters dropped lifejackets to the crew, most of whom were shirtless and dressed only in shorts.
Some of the fishermen were taken to a hospital, but TVBS showed dozens sitting on the shore watching the operation, which was taking place close to land.
The cause of the fire is not immediately known, but one fisherman told TVBS that a short circuit apparently ignited the blaze, which was fanned by high winds.
The boat was a floating dormitory for Chinese fishermen who work for Taiwanese fishing companies but don't have visas to leave the port and stay in Taiwan.
Taiwan has strict immigration regulations for China because relations have been tense between the two sides since they split amid civil war in 1949.
