A Taiwanese court sentenced the Chinese captain of the Togo-registered ship Hong Tai 58 to three years in prison for intentionally damaging undersea cables near southwestern Taiwan in February.

Axar.az, citing Reuters, reports that the court in Tainan identified the captain by the surname Wang. Though Wang admitted to ordering the anchor dropped, he denied intent and claimed negligence.

The court ruled the ship “wandered,” causing the anchor to sever the cables. Chunghwa Telecom incurred repair losses exceeding T$17 million (approx. $576,564). Seven other Chinese crew members were deported due to lack of evidence.

China denied wrongdoing and accused Taiwan of premature accusations. Taiwan has reported five cable malfunctions so far in 2025, compared to three in both 2024 and 2023.