TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A train on Alishan Forest Railway struck a tourist on Saturday as a hiking group trespassed onto the railway track.
A 55-year-old woman, surnamed Liu (劉), was taking photos and disregarded the train’s warning horn. The train knocked her over and she suffered a fractured left leg but was lucky to avoid further injury, per UDN.
Liu was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. The 62 passengers aboard the train had their itinerary delayed one hour.
An investigation by the railway found that the hikers had been led onto the tracks by Dream Travel. Authorities are seeking punishment for the travel agency, such as asking the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency to deny the travel agency’s applications for entering the Alishan area via the Mianyue Line for one year.
Dream Travel responded that tour group members acted on their own by walking onto the railway track to take pictures. The group was unsupervised and not warned of the dangers of being on the track.
Liu will be subject to a fine between NT$10,000-50,000 (US$307-1,538).
Tourists often trespass onto Alishan Forestry Railway to take pictures. There have been 30 incidents where tourists have been asked to leave the railway tracks.