Officials yesterday said they are investigating video footage to determine whether a boat’s speed or watercraft zoning were factors in a boating accident on Thursday that resulted in the death of a nine-year-old boy in Hualien County.
The boy was among a group of family members from Hualien who arrived at Liyu Lake (鯉魚潭) at about 2pm, where they boarded the pedal boat.
The boy was in the boat with his parents, aunt and grandfather when it capsized 20m from shore.
Photo: Hua Meng-ching, Taipei Times
According to witness accounts, nearby visitors rescued the four adults, while the child, not immediately found, was pulled out of the water later by a boating operator surnamed Chen (陳).
Chen said the boy was trapped for about 10 minutes under the boat and did not have a heartbeat when he was found.
CPR was immediately attempted until emergency personnel arrived, he added.
The Hualien County Police Bureau’s Jian Precinct said the boy was transported to a hospital but later pronounced dead, adding that the cause of the incident is being investigated.
The accident happened in a mixed operating area for motorboats and unpowered vessels, East Longitudinal Valley National Scenic Area Secretary Tsai Wei-ping (蔡威平) said yesterday.
Officials are investigating the cause of the incident, which might include watercraft congestion, powered and unpowered boats operating in close proximity or collision with shoals, he said.
The scenic area does not rule out redrawing the rules governing the operation of boats and zoning, Tsai said.
Park regulations limit boat speed to 10 knots and detectors are in place to monitor watercraft speeds, he said.
Violators face a fine of between NT$5,000 and NT$10 million (US$158.63 and US$317,279) and the suspension of their operating license, Tsai said, adding that the watercraft operators in the incident are under investigation.
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