Taiwanese Court Jails Chinese Captain Over Undersea Cable Incident

A Taiwanese court has handed a three-year prison sentence to the captain of a Chinese-flagged ship, following the intentional damage of undersea cables off Taiwan's coast. The ship, Hong Tai 58, was registered in Togo and involved in the incident in February that raised alarms among Taiwanese officials.

The court, located in Tainan city, identified the captain by his surname, Wang. He was found guilty of ordering the anchor drop that resulted in the cable damage, despite his claims of mere negligence. Wang plans to appeal the decision.

The damaged cables cost Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom over T$17 million in repairs. The verdict follows Taiwan's concerns over increased sea cable disruptions, with China previously accusing Taiwan of politicizing the incident without clear evidence.

(With inputs from agencies.)