On July 7, the fishing boat Wanli Princess 168 was heading toward the port of New Taipei when the crew noticed something strange in the water a few miles from the shoreline. As the boat approached the object, it became apparent that it was a shirtless man in a colorful swim ring. The crew threw the stranded man a life buoy and then pulled him into the boat before taking him back to port and calling emergency services. Hong Nan appeared in good health, which was a bit surprising considering that he had been drifting on the sea for 19 hours before being spotted. The 58-year-old told his rescuers that he had found himself in a predicament after jumping into the waters on New Taipei to cool off after a hot day at work. He confessed that he had consumed a few drinks beforehand, and the waves of the sea caused him to fall into a deep sleep. He woke up hours later in the open sea, far away from shore. He said he shouted for help, but he was too far out into the sea for anyone to hear him. He was taken to a Taipei hospital, where doctors performed tests and released him shortly after. Hong considers himself lucky, as he could have drifted on the open waters for days without being spotted. As it turned out, he only had to spend one night in the swim ring.
