The Taiwan Personal Watercraft Association yesterday failed again in a bid to cross the Taiwan Strait on jet skis because one of its members was knocked into the sea by a wave after his vehicle broke down and drifted.

Association chief secretary Tony Li (黎俊廷) said the group was attempting to complete the 180km voyage from Taoyuan to Matsu on jet skis when one of their members went missing.

“The jet ski’s engine sucked in some of the floating garbage in the sea and broke down,” Li said, adding that the team encountered big waves.

“We have traveled on jet skis to Kinmen and Penghu and some other outlying islands, and Matsu is the only one left,” he said. “We tried the first time to get to Matsu on April 16, but did not succeed. This was our second failure.”

Seventeen of the association’s members left Chuwei (竹圍) Port, Taoyuan County, at 5am yesterday and were scheduled to arrive in Matsu in the afternoon. Coast Guard Administration (CGA) officials accompanied them during the voyage.

At 9am, association member Hong Shan-lin (洪善鄰) was reported missing. The CGA asked squads in Tamsui (淡水), Matsu and Hsinchu to help search for Hong, who was rescued by the Panama-registered cargo liner Ravenna at about noon. The rest of the team returned to Chuwei at about 3pm.

Hong declined to comment on the three hours he spent lost at sea, simply thanking the personnel of the cargo liner and the coast guard. He said that it was a pity that he did not make it to Matsu because he was so close.

Li said the association would hold a meeting soon to decide when they will embark on the trip again.