02 July,2016 08:21 AM IST | | Agencies
A Taiwanese warship yesterday accidentally fired a supersonic anti-ship missile towards mainland China that hit a fishing boat, killing one and injuring three people, when China was celebrating the 95th anniversary of the Communist Party
Beijing: A Taiwanese warship yesterday accidentally fired a supersonic anti-ship missile towards mainland China that hit a fishing boat, killing one and injuring three people, when China was celebrating the 95th anniversary of the Communist Party.
The accidental launch of the domestically developed Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile took place from a naval base in Kaohsiung, south of the island.
The missile, with a range of 300 kilometres, flew about 75 kilometres before plunging into waters off Penghu, a Taiwanese-administered island in the Taiwan Strait. Taiwanese Defence Ministry said the missile hit a Taiwanese fishing boat, killing one person and injuring three crewmembers.
"The missile was launched by operational error," said Vice-Admiral Mei Chia-hsu of the Taiwanese Navy. Asked if the incident risked a misunderstanding with Beijing, Mei said the navy had reported the incident to the island's defence ministry.
The Taiwanese missile did not pass the mid-course line of the Taiwan Strait, Mei said, which meant it was not aimed at Fujian province.
