TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A 16,000 TEU container ship anchored off the coast of Kaohsiung began to take on water Thursday morning (July 20), which forced the crew to temporarily evacuate the vessel.

The Indian-registered Angel arrived in Taiwanese waters on July 4 and took anchor 2.8 nautical miles (5 km) from shore. On Thursday morning, the ship began taking on water and it began to list about 8 degrees, reported UDN.

The vessel issued a distress message to the Kaohsiung Harbor Bureau (KHB) at 9:30 a.m. Out of concern for his crew’s safety, the captain ordered all 19 members of the crew to leave the vessel.

The KHB contacted the Coast Guard, which dispatched patrol boats and assisted in bringing the crew members to shore by 12:35 p.m. One of the crew reportedly received medical treatment for high blood pressure and an injured arm.

After ensuring the safety of the crew, the KHB held a meeting in the afternoon to discuss response measures. UDN reported that two tugboats were dispatched to tow the Angel and prevent it from sinking.

The S5 Asia Shipping Agency has requested that two oil booms also be emplaced around the ship, so that any fuel leakage from the Angel’s hull will not be dispersed into the wider ocean.