New Taipei: The family of an underage girl who died after being swept into the Beishi River in New Taipei during a nature outing has been awarded NT$168,000 (US$5,165) in state compensation. The New Taipei District Court determined that the city government did not install sufficient upstream warning signs in the area, leading to the tragic incident.According to Focus Taiwan, the court ruling, which is still subject to appeal, was announced in a statement released by the district court. The incident occurred on October 16, 2021, when six people were swept away by the river during a guided group tour along the Hubaotan Historic Trail in New Taipei's Shuangxi District. Due to heavy rain, the tour was cut short, and on the return journey, two adults and four underage individuals were swept away as they attempted to cross the swollen Beishi River via a check dam. All six were later found deceased by rescuers.The tour guide, surnamed Su, received a two-year prison sentence suspended for five years for negligenc e causing death in November 2022. The family members of the deceased girl, surnamed Tsai, filed a lawsuit seeking state compensation for her death. They argued that the New Taipei City government failed to install adequate warning signs, public alert systems, or life-saving equipment, indicating poor management of public facilities.While the family sought NT$850,000 in compensation, the city government contended that "Danger Deep Water No Swimming" signs were posted along the trail, and there had been no prior incidents of visitors falling into the water when crossing the dam. The city government attributed the accident to Tsai and others engaging in adventurous activities and the tour guide's failure to warn of the dam's dangers.The New Taipei District Court found that the city government placed noticeboards too far from the dam and that these notices did not mention the dangers of crossing the river. The court concluded that if warning signs and life-saving equipment had been installed, Tsai and others might have been more cautious and chosen a safer route or waited instead of taking rash action.Consequently, the court ruled that the New Taipei City government is liable to pay NT$168,092 in compensation to Tsai's family. The court considered Tsai's family's claims for funeral expenses and pain and suffering, determining NT$1.5 million for pain and suffering to be appropriate. After the tour company and Su paid a total of NT$1.95 million in compensation to Tsai's family, the city government was ordered to pay NT$168,092 in compensation.Shuangxi District Office head Lin Yao-jie commented that the city government "respects" the court's ruling and will consult with the Legal Affairs Department before deciding on an appeal. The court's decision follows a similar ruling by a Keelung court in May, awarding NT$2.65 million in state compensation to the family of a man surnamed Chung, who also died during the same guided group tour along the Hubaotan Historic Trail. There is no current information on whether the families of the other four deceased individuals will seek state compensation from the city government.