The Ministry of Transportation and Communications has asked China Airlines to share the cost of rescue efforts following last year's plane crash which killed 225 people, an official said yesterday.
The NT$223 million (US$6.47 million) bill covered the maintenance and fuel of helicopters and frigates dispatched to help the rescue after the plane crashed into waters near the Penghu island group shortly after takeoff on May 25.
The bill also included DNA tests conducted to identify the victims, according to an account compiled by the authorities.
"The expenses have become an extra burden on our side," said Oliver Yu (
"We believe CAL can afford to share the costs because the aircraft was insured," Yu told reporters
"But CAL is concerned that its insurance premium will be raised if it agrees to pay," Yu said.
No agreement has been reached despite several rounds of negotiations, he added.
"It is unfair that the authorities are asking us to share the rescue costs because their budget is short," said CAL spokesman Roger Han (
"It will set a bad precedent for future accidents," Han added.
Han said any claim for payment from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications must be backed up by law.
"It isn't that we are unwilling to pay. But the problem is that the government lacks a legal basis for its claim for compensation from CAL, a private company, for their rescue efforts after emergencies and disasters," Han said.
He said CAL's offer of US$14.2 million in compensation for each victim had been accepted by most family members.
The Hong Kong-bound Boeing 747-200 carrying 206 passengers and 19 crew plunged into waters some 20 minutes after it took off from CKS airport.
Metal fatigue was suspected to have caused the accident, the nation's worst ever air disaster.
The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Wanda-Zhonghe Line is 81.7 percent complete, with public opening targeted for the end of 2027, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said today. Surrounding roads are to be open to the public by the end of next year, Hou said during an inspection of construction progress. The 9.5km line, featuring nine underground stations and one depot, is expected to connect Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station to Chukuang Station in New Taipei City’s Jhonghe District (中和). All 18 tunnels for the line are complete, while the main structures of the stations and depot are mostly finished, he
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
Taipei is to implement widespread road closures around Taipei 101 on Friday to make way for large crowds during the Double Ten National Day celebration, the Taipei Department of Transportation said. A four-minute fireworks display is to be launched from the skyscraper, along with a performance by 500 drones flying in formation above the nearby Nanshan A21 site, starting at 10pm. Vehicle restrictions would occur in phases, they said. From 5pm to 9pm, inner lanes of Songshou Road between Taipei City Hall and Taipei 101 are to be closed, with only the outer lanes remaining open. Between 9pm and 9:40pm, the section is
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday hosted a reception to celebrate Double Ten National Day. Conservative Canadian lawmaker Marc Dalton called Taiwan a “beacon of courage and resilience in the face of rising authoritarianism,” according to a post on the Taiwan in Vancouver Facebook page. Also in attendance were fellow conservative caucus members Tako Van Popta and Chak Au, who said that Taiwan plays an “indispensable role” in ensuring global peace, prosperity and stability due to its strategic position in the Indo-Pacific region, it said. Canadian lawmaker Michael Cooper also recorded a message wishing Taiwan a
RSS