TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan rejects allegations by China Wednesday (Nov. 13) that it turned down requests by a Chinese freighter to seek shelter in Keelung Port before a typhoon last month.

The “Yu Zhou Qi Hang” has been stranded near Yehliu Geopark in New Taipei since the end of October, while attempts at pumping oil out of the ship to prevent pollution have been postponed due to rough seas. 

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) alleged the crew had asked to return to Keelung before Typhoon Kong-rey arrived, but Taiwan’s Maritime and Port Bureau replied they had made no such request, per CNA.

The crew wanted to leave Keelung before the typhoon and decided on their direction by themselves, the bureau said. The freighter lost engine power on Oct. 29, with the crew asking for assistance, resulting in the Coast Guard evacuating all 17 crew members to safety.

Since the ship was carrying at least 290 tons of oil products, efforts were launched to prevent an oil spill from affecting the New Taipei coastline. However, since Nov. 2, several attempts at pumping out the oil were abandoned due to rough weather.

The Ministry of Transportation wanted a new try to go ahead on Thursday (Nov. 14), with the task to be completed within two weeks. The necessary equipment has been affixed to the “Yu Zhou Qi Hang,” but the approach of another typhoon, Usagi, might complicate the work.

The Central Weather Administration was expected to issue sea warnings for the storm early Thursday, with land warnings likely to follow later in the day at the earliest.