Fees for rescues caused by neglect mulledBy Chien Hui-ju and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Ministry of the Interior might support fees for people who are rescued by air in mountainous areas after minor or preventable hiking accidents, the ministry told lawmakers on Thursday. Hikers watch as a helicopter rescues a fellow hiker who fell down a slope and broke a leg in Nantou County on Feb. 17. “While there should not be a general charge for the services, those who abuse them should pay for it,” she said. DPP Legislator Lo Mei-ling (羅美玲) urged a user-pays principle, saying that this would help deter ill-prepared people from going into mountainous areas. DPP Legislator Wang Mei-hui (王美惠) said that the government should draft a bill introducing fees for hikers who neglectfully necessiate rescue missions.

Source: Taipei Times March 12, 2021 15:56 UTC