Navy admits to blunder in military drill off eastern Taiwan

ROC Central News Agency

2012/08/03 14:46:51

Taipei, Aug. 3 (CNA) Taiwan's Navy has admitted that there was a problem with its execution of a recent military exercise off the coast of eastern Taiwan and said it has taken steps to penalize those responsible for the blunder.

The commander of the naval fleet involved has been given a major demerit and moved to another post, the Navy said in a statement released late Wednesday.

The Navy admitted the naval fleet based in Suao Township in Yilan County in northeastern Taiwan did not operate in an area planned for the drill.

However, it made no mention of the information detailed in a news report that the commander of the naval fleet had failed to carry out instructions to keep the fleet in a specific area during the drill in late July.

As a result, the frigates sailed toward the Japanese island of Yonaguni about 100 kilometers east of Taiwan, raising an alert in Japan, the Apple Daily reported Friday.

The Navy acknowledged the mistake, saying that it has formed a task force to probe the incident and has brought the matter to the attention of military prosecutors.

(By Elaine Hou)
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