An 11-year-old boy was rescued from the open ocean off the coast of Taiwan after being reported missing when he failed to attend school. The child, identified only by his surname Tsou, was discovered floating on a large polystyrene sheet at the mouth of the Zhonggang River near Zhunan Township.
Teacher's Concern Triggers Search
The boy's teacher raised the alarm on Tuesday morning after he did not show up for lessons. When attempts to contact his parents went unanswered, a welfare check was initiated. Social services had previously flagged Tsou as living in a vulnerable household, prompting authorities to visit the family home. Officers received no response despite persistent knocking and subsequently issued a missing-person alert.
Fisherman Spots Child at Sea
Later that afternoon, a fisherman spotted a child adrift in the water, clutching a large piece of polystyrene. The fisherman immediately alerted authorities, and coastguard officers rushed to the scene. They successfully brought Tsou safely ashore in an emergency rescue operation.
Following the rescue, authorities contacted the boy's father, who works in the nearby city of Hsinchu, and arranged for him to collect his son.
Ongoing Investigation
Preliminary investigations suggest that Tsou may have traveled alone from the nearby Houlong Township to the coastal area to play. The precise circumstances and his reasons for doing so remain under investigation.
The Miaoli County Government's Education Department has since stepped in, offering counselling and assistance to both the child and his parents.
Similar Incident Two Years Ago
This incident echoes a similar event two years ago when a young boy was discovered stranded inside a large inflatable bubble adrift at sea. Rafael Graça do Prado, then 32, was out on the water with his children when he spotted the peculiar object bobbing off Lazaro Beach in Ubatuba, Sao Paulo, Brazil, on December 24.
Video footage captured the transparent bubble tossing about in the surf with the young boy, approximately eight years old, trapped within. It is thought the child had been enjoying himself with his parents on the beach inside the bubble, which had been fastened by a rope to prevent it from drifting away. The rope had snapped, and the youngster floated out to sea before being fortunately discovered by Rafael.
His immediate concern was whether sufficient oxygen remained inside the ball. 'I was worried about whether he was able to breathe or not because the balls can be dangerous,' he said. 'There is a certain amount of time that you can breathe inside it. I calmed him down, and that was when my daughter started filming.'
