A missing schoolboy, aged 11, was found drifting at sea on a polystyrene block a day after failing to attend school in Taiwan. The primary school pupil did not show up for class on Tuesday morning, prompting his teacher to contact his parents, but received no response. The boy, identified only by his surname Tsou, was previously known to social services as coming from a vulnerable family. A welfare check at his home found no one, leading police to issue a missing-person alert.
That afternoon, a fisherman spotted Tsou floating in the sea at the mouth of the Zhonggang River off Zhunan Township, clinging to a large piece of polystyrene. The fisherman alerted police and coastguard, who rushed to the scene and rescued the boy, bringing him safely back to shore.
After the rescue, authorities contacted Tsou's father, who works in Hsinchu, to collect him. Initial investigations suggest Tsou may have traveled alone from neighboring Houlong Township to the seaside area to play. The exact circumstances and motive remain under investigation. The Miaoli County Government’s Education Department is providing counseling and support for the boy and his parents.
This incident echoes a similar event two years ago, when a boy was found inside a large bubble floating at sea off Brazil. Rafael Graça do Prado spotted the child near Lazaro Beach in Ubatuba, Sao Paulo, on December 24. The bubble had snapped from its rope, and the boy drifted out to sea. Prado expressed concern about oxygen levels inside the ball, but the child was safely rescued.
