Taiwan Tour Group Hit by Landslide in Hubei, China — 3 Dead, 2 Injured; 2 Family Members to Travel to Mainland Evening of Same Day

Reported by Hong Qiaolan / Taipei

A Taiwan tour group was hit by a landslide in the Three Gorges scenic area of Yichang City, Hubei Province, China this morning (15th). The Republic of China Travel Agents Association held a press conference this afternoon to provide details. The accident resulted in 3 deaths and 2 injuries. The injured are currently receiving medical treatment at the hospital. Some of the remaining tour group members have continued their itinerary, while others went to visit the injured in the hospital. Additionally, two family members of those affected will depart from Taiwan in the evening of the 15th to fly to Wuhan.

▲ Taiwan tour group hit by a landslide in Yichang City, Hubei Province, China; rescue operations underway. (Photo / Provided by Yichang Municipal Government)

The Travel Agents Association stated that the tour group was organized by a group from the Taiwan Theater Guild, commissioned to be handled by Dongsheng Travel Agency. The trip began on October 13th and was scheduled to return to Taiwan on the 19th, comprising a total of 45 people including two tour guides.

Lu Zhonghao, Vice President of the Travel Agents Association, said that on the 15th, the tour group disembarked from the Golden Cruise No. 6 at the dock in Yichang City, Hubei Province, and took a chartered bus for an optional side trip to the Three Gorges Folk Village scenic area. After the tour, the bus was on its way back when it encountered a landslide and was struck by falling debris.

▲ Lu Zhonghao, Vice President of the Travel Agents Association, explains the incident involving the Dongsheng Travel Agency’s Three Gorges tour group. (Photo / Taken by Reporter Hong Qiaolan)

The Travel Agents Association reported that the accident resulted in 3 deaths and 2 injuries.The three deceased travelers were identified as Li Zhiqiang (male, 49 years old), Wang Xuehong (female, 55 years old), and Ge Shiqiang (male, 54 years old). The two injured travelers are Yang Youxuan (female, 35 years old) and Kong Qingchang (male, 66 years old), who have been sent to Yichang Yiling Hospital for treatment.。

Lu Zhonghao explained that one of the injured has minor bone injuries and is being treated in orthopedics, while the other remains in intensive care but is conscious. One tour guide will stay behind to care for the injured, while the other will accompany the rest of the group to continue the itinerary. It is understood that out of the remaining 29 group members, 19 will continue the trip, while 9 will go to the hospital to check on the injured.Dongsheng Travel Agency has assisted in arranging for two family members to fly from Kaohsiung and Taipei respectively to the area around 6 PM on the 15th.。

▲ Taiwan tour group hit by a landslide in Yichang City, Hubei Province, China; rescue operations underway. (Photo / Provided by Yichang Municipal Government, same below)

The travel agency has insurance coverage that meets regulations, including travel liability insurance of 2,000,000 NTD, accidental medical insurance of 200,000 NTD, and travel safety insurance of 1,000,000 NTD. The families of the deceased are eligible for compensation of 3 million NTD.

As for the responsibility on the mainland side, all relevant announcements will be made by the Yichang Municipal Government. The Travel Agents Association will provide updates to the public as soon as information is available.

The Tourism Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation stated that upon receiving the initial report of the accident, they immediately contacted the travel agency to understand the situation and instructed the tour guide to handle the matter appropriately. They also notified the Mainland Affairs Council, the Travel Agents Association, and the Taipei Travel Agents Association, among other related units, to assist actively.

The Tourism Bureau has also assigned Taiwan Ping, head of the Beijing Office, to go to Hubei to assist. Furthermore, personnel will be dispatched to the mainland tomorrow to help. Moving forward, the travel agency will be asked to contact the families of the deceased and injured to understand their needs and immediately arrange assistance for the families traveling to the mainland.