TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – On early Sunday (Oct. 19) morning, a Coast Guard patrol ship returned from a long-distance ambulance mission to rescue the captain of a fishing vessel who suffered a stroke on Oct. 15.

After receiving the distress signal from the “Sheng I Tsai (聖易財) No. 368,” the Coast Guard’s No. 8 patrol ship in Pingtung was immediately dispatched to assist the captain and crew of the ship. However, the Sheng I Tsai was located quite some distance away, over 2,900 km from Taiwan’s shores, and about 1,000 km north of the Marshall Islands.

After rushing to meet the ship in distress at the safest speed possible, the Coast Guard successfully retrieved the captain on the afternoon of Oct. 17 and transported him back to Taiwan safely. The ship returned to safe harbor in Pingtung at 5:45 a.m. and the captain of the Sheng I Tsai had arrived at a hospital for treatment by 6:00 a.m, reports CNA.

Upon their return, a report was filed by the Coast Guard detailing the operation. According to the report, the operation faced stormy conditions on their journey traveling through waves of two-to-three meters high and strong winds.

Thanks to a friendly ship in the region, the Sheng I Tsai has reportedly been safely towed to a nearby port in the Marshall Islands. The ship was originally on a fishing expedition that was scheduled to last from Oct. 12 to Oct. 21, reports CNA.