High school student drowns at Taian Coastal Park; court orders park management to pay over NT$2.18 million in compensation

A court has ordered the Taichung City Government's Fengyuan Management Office to pay over NT$2.18 million in compensation following the drowning death of a high school student at the Taian Coastal Recreation Area in June 2023. The student, identified by the surname Wang, drowned after entering a restricted surfing and kitesurfing zone.

Wang was swimming with two classmates when he disappeared. His body was found two days later on a nearby beach. An autopsy confirmed drowning as the cause of death. His parents sued the city government, alleging negligence in management and inadequate warnings, which they claimed led to the tragic accident.

The Fengyuan Management Office argued that warning signs were posted on-site and on the official website, clearly delineating areas for beach swimming, surfing and kitesurfing, and prohibited zones. They contended that Wang was not in the designated "beach swimming area" and was not using flotation devices, thus implying no fault on their part.

However, the court found that the signage was insufficient. While coordinates and geographical markers were present, the court determined that these were not easily understandable for visitors unfamiliar with the area. The ruling stated that the management office failed to clearly mark the boundaries of the swimming areas, a lapse that contributed to the student mistakenly entering the dangerous zone and subsequently drowning. The ruling can still be appealed.