A frightened young boy was discovered adrift at sea on a large piece of polystyrene, a day after missing school. The 11-year-old student did not show up for classes on Tuesday, prompting his teacher to contact his parents, who were unreachable. Identified as Tsou, the boy, from a known vulnerable family, was unresponsive when social services attempted a welfare check at his home, leading to a missing-person alert by the police.
During the search, a fisherman spotted Tsou floating in the sea near the Zhonggang River in Taiwan on a polystyrene block. Police and coastguard swiftly responded, rescuing Tsou and returning him safely to shore. His father, who was working in Hsinchu, was contacted for his son’s pickup.
Initial findings suggest Tsou may have traveled independently from a neighboring town to the seaside for recreation. Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact circumstances and motive behind his actions. The Miaoli County Government’s Education Department is offering counseling and assistance to Tsou and his parents.
In a similar incident two years ago, a child was found inside a large bubble at sea by a concerned sailor near Lazaro Beach in Ubatuba, Brazil. Rafael Graça do Prado, who was on a boat trip with his family, spotted the boy inside the transparent bubble floating in the water. The boy had been playing with his parents inside the bubble, which broke loose, causing him to drift out to sea. Thankfully, Rafael noticed and rescued him, expressing concerns about the boy’s oxygen supply inside the bubble.