Pay for Illegal Hikes Yourself: With the increasing number of mountain accidents in Hualien in recent years, rescuers have been stretched thin. On the 17th, the county government issued the nation’s first helicopter rescue bill of NT$920,000 to a hiking team that trespassed into the restricted area of the Batongguan Historic Trail in February this year, resulting in one fatality. This enforces the "user pays" principle.
Hualien is home to numerous high mountains and famous peaks. In the past, when people hiked illegally ("black hiking") without following regulations and got injured or faced emergencies, they often called police or firefighters for help. Just one helicopter mission could cost hundreds of thousands in fuel alone, sparking public criticism about people "taking advantage of free helicopter rides" and leaving taxpayers to foot the rescue bill.
The Hualien County Fire Bureau said that at the end of February this year, a six-person hiking team entered the mountains from Dongpu in Nantou. But after altering their route on their own, one of the members, surnamed Tsai, fell into a ravine between Mount Sarashabi and Mount Mashabu. When fellow hikers found him, he showed no signs of life. They then reported to the Hualien County Fire Bureau and requested the Air Rescue Squadron to dispatch a helicopter to recover the body.
The first attempt to hoist the body failed due to mountain fog. It was only the next day, when the weather cleared, that the body was successfully retrieved. However, it was later found that the hiking group had entered a closed trail area, leading to the tragedy. Last week, the bureau first issued a fine of NT$6,000 per person to the group and sent a letter to the Air Rescue Squadron asking for an estimate of related rescue costs—including aviation fuel and supplies—which totaled NT$920,2578.
Fire Bureau Chief Lin Wen-ruei stated that mountain rescue missions occur frequently every year, not only wasting substantial human and material resources but also overburdening the already understaffed police, volunteer firefighters, and rescue workers, thereby increasing risks for responders. Helicopter operations, in particular, are extremely costly. Hualien County has decided to issue the nation’s first helicopter usage fee penalty, urging the public not to enter unauthorized trails to avoid danger and the waste of social resources.
(China Times)