Nanfang'ao Bridge Collapse Kills 6, Second Instance Upholds Original Verdict for 4 Defendants
The second-instance verdict for four defendants involved in the 2019 Nanfang'ao Bridge collapse, which killed six fishermen, upheld the original sentences of 1 year 6 months to 2 years imprisonment for negligent homicide. One defendant, surnamed Wu, received a 5-year suspended sentence and was ordered to pay NT$250,000 to the public treasury.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 30, 2026 at 12:14
- 🔍 Collected: April 30, 2026 at 12:31 (17 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 30, 2026 at 13:05 (34 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Hsieh Chun-lin, Taipei, 30th) The Nanfang'ao Bridge in Yilan collapsed in 2019, killing 6 fishermen. The first instance sentenced a total of 4 defendants involved in construction and supervision to 1 year 6 months to 2 years imprisonment for negligent homicide. The second instance today upheld the original verdict, with the defendant surnamed Wu receiving a 5-year suspended sentence and ordered to pay NT$250,000 to the public treasury. The case can still be appealed.
The first-instance Yilan District Court judgment stated that the construction contractor only covered the exterior of the bridge's suspension cables with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) sleeves of varying lengths, approximately 20 to 28 meters, which could not be tightly sealed with the anchor heads and could slide. Furthermore, a white square metal box was installed over the HDPE sleeves on the main beam bridge deck, and the gaps between the metal box, sleeves, and bridge deck were only filled with resin sealant, leading to poor waterproofing performance of the lower anchorage mechanism.
In addition, the Nanfang'ao area is coastal, humid, and rainy, and has been eroded by high-salinity sea breeze and rainwater for many years. After the waterproofing performance of the lower anchorage mechanism deteriorated, saltwater seeped along the outer wall of the sleeves into the lower anchorage structure, causing water to accumulate in the anchor seat. Moreover, the steel strands were not constructed with anchor sleeves tightly sealed to the anchor heads as per drawings, nor were bell-shaped waterproof covers installed. The steel strands and anchor heads were in long-term direct contact with the infiltrating saltwater, leading to severe corrosion, which significantly reduced the total tensile strength the suspension cables could bear, ultimately causing the collapse of the Nanfang'ao Cross-Harbor Bridge.
The first-instance collegiate bench believed that the relevant construction and supervision parties had clear negligence. The contractor's responsible person, surnamed Lin, was sentenced to 1 year 6 months imprisonment; the site supervisor, surnamed Wu, the deputy general manager of the cooperating manufacturer, surnamed Bian, and the site supervisor of the supervising manufacturer, surnamed Chen, were each sentenced to 2 years imprisonment. As for the managers of the Su'ao Port Operations Office's engineering section, surnamed Fang and Huang, they were acquitted.
Regarding the reason for the acquittal of the two managers, the collegiate bench explained that the Nanfang'ao Bridge is not a highway as defined by the Highway Act and related highway regulations; it should be considered a special road within the port area. Furthermore, according to the operating guidelines formulated by Taiwan International Ports Corporation at the time, there was no regulation requiring special bridge inspections. Therefore, the two individuals had no obligation to conduct regular inspections of the Nanfang'ao Bridge at least once every two years. In the absence of relevant laws and regulations, the two were acquitted.
The case was appealed to the second instance and heard by the Taiwan High Court. The High Court today rejected the appeals from both the prosecution and the defense, upholding the original verdict, but the site supervisor, surnamed Wu, was granted a 5-year suspended sentence and ordered to pay NT$250,000 to the public treasury. The High Court has not yet explained the facts of the crime and the reasons for sentencing in its judgment.
The Nanfang'ao Bridge collapsed on October 1, 2019. After several years of reconstruction, the new bridge opened to traffic on December 18, 2022. (Editor: Huang Ming-hsi) 1150430
Stand with the facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.
(Central News Agency reporter Hsieh Chun-lin, Taipei, 30th) The Nanfang'ao Bridge in Yilan collapsed in 2019, killing 6 fishermen. The first instance sentenced a total of 4 defendants involved in construction and supervision to 1 year 6 months to 2 years imprisonment for negligent homicide. The second instance today upheld the original verdict, with the defendant surnamed Wu receiving a 5-year suspended sentence and ordered to pay NT$250,000 to the public treasury. The case can still be appealed.
The first-instance Yilan District Court judgment stated that the construction contractor only covered the exterior of the bridge's suspension cables with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) sleeves of varying lengths, approximately 20 to 28 meters, which could not be tightly sealed with the anchor heads and could slide. Furthermore, a white square metal box was installed over the HDPE sleeves on the main beam bridge deck, and the gaps between the metal box, sleeves, and bridge deck were only filled with resin sealant, leading to poor waterproofing performance of the lower anchorage mechanism.
In addition, the Nanfang'ao area is coastal, humid, and rainy, and has been eroded by high-salinity sea breeze and rainwater for many years. After the waterproofing performance of the lower anchorage mechanism deteriorated, saltwater seeped along the outer wall of the sleeves into the lower anchorage structure, causing water to accumulate in the anchor seat. Moreover, the steel strands were not constructed with anchor sleeves tightly sealed to the anchor heads as per drawings, nor were bell-shaped waterproof covers installed. The steel strands and anchor heads were in long-term direct contact with the infiltrating saltwater, leading to severe corrosion, which significantly reduced the total tensile strength the suspension cables could bear, ultimately causing the collapse of the Nanfang'ao Cross-Harbor Bridge.
The first-instance collegiate bench believed that the relevant construction and supervision parties had clear negligence. The contractor's responsible person, surnamed Lin, was sentenced to 1 year 6 months imprisonment; the site supervisor, surnamed Wu, the deputy general manager of the cooperating manufacturer, surnamed Bian, and the site supervisor of the supervising manufacturer, surnamed Chen, were each sentenced to 2 years imprisonment. As for the managers of the Su'ao Port Operations Office's engineering section, surnamed Fang and Huang, they were acquitted.
Regarding the reason for the acquittal of the two managers, the collegiate bench explained that the Nanfang'ao Bridge is not a highway as defined by the Highway Act and related highway regulations; it should be considered a special road within the port area. Furthermore, according to the operating guidelines formulated by Taiwan International Ports Corporation at the time, there was no regulation requiring special bridge inspections. Therefore, the two individuals had no obligation to conduct regular inspections of the Nanfang'ao Bridge at least once every two years. In the absence of relevant laws and regulations, the two were acquitted.
The case was appealed to the second instance and heard by the Taiwan High Court. The High Court today rejected the appeals from both the prosecution and the defense, upholding the original verdict, but the site supervisor, surnamed Wu, was granted a 5-year suspended sentence and ordered to pay NT$250,000 to the public treasury. The High Court has not yet explained the facts of the crime and the reasons for sentencing in its judgment.
The Nanfang'ao Bridge collapsed on October 1, 2019. After several years of reconstruction, the new bridge opened to traffic on December 18, 2022. (Editor: Huang Ming-hsi) 1150430
Stand with the facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.