More than 60 hours later, after his right leg fracture, a Chinese fisherman surnamed Shang embraced the hope of survival in the South Pacific Ocean, thousands of miles away from homeland. The Chinese naval  hospital ship Peace Ark, which was on its way toward Tarawa, Kiribati at that time for a seven-day goodwill visit during the Harmonious Mission 2023, adjusted its route as a temporary arrangement to rush for rescue.

On the morning of July 11, he accidentally fell into the sea while fishing in waters east of Tarawa, Kiribati and got his right lower limb cut by the stern propeller of the fishing boat from the front, causing an open fracture of his tibia and fibula. As constrained by the limited medical conditions on the fishing boat, his physical condition continued to worsen with wound infection, and he had to seek help from the Chinese Embassy in the Republic of Kiribati.

At that moment, the Chinese naval  hospital ship Peace Ark was carrying out the Harmonious Mission 2023 over the ocean. According to the mission plan, Kiribati has been the first stop for the hospital ship’s visit during the mission.

Upon receiving a notification from the Chinese embassy, a maritime rescue operation for a compatriot’s life kicked off. After studying and reporting the situation, the hospital ship decided to adjust the route immediately and meet up with the fishing boat halfwayas soon as possible.

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