NAVAL SHIP 'CHENG HO' SUFFERS DAMAGED PROPELLER IN PALAU PORT
ROC Central News Agency
2006-03-20 22:45:20
Taipei, March 20 (CNA) Cheng Ho, one of the two ships in Taiwan's goodwill flotilla currently visiting Palau, suffered a damaged propeller as the ship was sailing into Malakal Port Monday, the Republic of China's Naval Fleet Command confirmed.
A spokesman for the command said that it is suspected that Cheng Ho's propeller blades struck an unidentified object in the water as the 4,105-ton Cheng Kung-class frigate -- a Taiwan-built version of the American Oliver Hazard Perry class -- was being led by a pilot boat into the harbor.
The spokesman said a special ship has been dispatched to Palau, located east of the Philippines, to tow Cheng Ho back to the naval base in southern Taiwan for repairs.
At the same time, he added, the navy will send Hsi Ning, a modified La Fayette-type frigate of the Kang ting class, to replace Cheng Ho and continue the goodwill mission with combat support ship Wu Yi, the largest naval ship ever built in Taiwan.
(By Han Nai-kuo)
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