Taiwan-Matsu No. 2 subsea cable damaged off Dongyin by Chinese fishing boat

On the night of 7 October 2025 the Taiwan-Matsu No. 2 (TDM2) submarine cable suffered partial core-wire damage roughly 4.2 nautical miles north of the Dongyin cable station in Lienchiang County (Matsu). Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs (MoDA) logged the fault on its cable-fault tracker, which records the damage and repair status but does not itself assign a cause. The affected stretch lies inside a designated no-anchor zone within an area Taiwanese officials treat as a recurring hotspot for cable incidents.

Investigators traced the damage to the Chinese-flagged fishing vessel Min Lian Yu 60138, whose net snagged an abandoned anchor on the seabed and dragged it across the cable. The Coast Guard intercepted and detained the boat and its captain, surnamed Wu, who admitted the act. The Fuchien Lienchiang District Court found the conduct negligent rather than intentional, reasoning that the experienced captain should have known cables ran through the zone. As reported by Focus Taiwan (CNA) and the Maritime Executive, Wu paid roughly NT$250,000 in compensation to Chunghwa Telecom plus a commutation fine and was deported to Fuzhou on 8 January 2026.

Documented facts are the cable fault recorded by MoDA and the court's finding that a Chinese fishing boat caused the damage through negligence, not deliberate sabotage; intent was not established and compensation was paid. The case is best read alongside the recurring pattern of damage near Dongyin, including the Taiwan-Matsu No. 3 subsea cable and the suspected cutting of the Taiwan-Penghu (TPKM3) subsea cable, which together feed a broader gray-zone narrative even though no single ruling has proven coordinated state action. This entry reflects the public record and may change if further investigation or reporting emerges.