Crew cling to rails as 750ft cargo ship slams into Chinese fishing boat near Singapore Strait
From the Newshound archive · first published 21 September 2026 · last updated 22 September 2026.
Footage recorded aboard the Luqing Yuanyu 108 shows the bulk carrier First Margaux approaching before striking the fishing vessel, whose crew clung to railings as the boat heeled sharply after the collision in the…The bulk carrier First Margaux bears down on the fishing vessel Luqing Yuanyu 108 moments before impact; the collision happened on 17 September in the Singapore Strait's westbound traffic separation lane.
Footage from the deck of the stricken Chinese fishing vessel Luqing Yuanyu 108 captures the 229-metre bulk carrier First Margaux bearing down before its bow strikes the smaller boat's starboard quarter, sending water surging across the deck. The incident happened on 17 September in the Singapore Strait, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, where heavy traffic left vessels little room to manoeuvre. No fatalities or injuries have been confirmed, and the fishing vessel stayed afloat — its AIS signal kept transmitting until it reached a nearby berth.
First Margaux was travelling at a speed two to three knots above that of the 49-metre fishing boat as it overtook her, having left Singapore anchorages at around the same time as Luqing Yuanyu 108.
The Panama Maritime Authority has launched an investigation, but Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority has released no detailed statement and the incident does not feature in the city-state's public safety database.
First Margaux — a Japanese-owned, Panama-flagged vessel built in 2023 with an 82,000-ton deadweight capacity — held her westbound course for two hours following the collision before turning around to anchor.
