A woman who organized an outing to the Hubaotan area in New Taipei has been given a two-year suspended prison sentence, with five years probation, for the deaths of six members of the group in a flooded river last year, according to a court statement released Thursday.
The Keelung District Court said the woman, surnamed Su (蘇), was found guilty of failing to give proper instructions and leading the 28 group members to safety when the Beishi River flooded during heavy rains on Oct. 16, 2021.
As a result, six people — two adults and four children — were swept away by the river surge in Hubaotan, and they were later found dead by rescuers, according to the court.
During the case, Su admitted to her negligence, the court said, adding that she had paid nearly NT$6 million (US$192,000) in compensation to the families of the deceased before the trial.
She was found guilty in court of negligence that led to death, and she was given a suspended sentence of two years in prison, with a five-year probation period, according to the court ruling, which can be appealed.
In its statement, the court said some of the deceased family members had agreed to clemency for Su during the hearing.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel