Dead passenger found on bus days after boarding

A man was found dead on a bus in New Taipei City on Sunday, several days after he boarded, and the bus operator has been fined, authorities said.

The Taipei City Government on Sunday said that after an initial investigation of the incident, its Public Transportation Office has fined the operator, Sindian Bus, NT$30,000.

Sindian Bus issued a statement on the same day, saying that at about 7am that day, a passenger who boarded in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店) reported to the driver that a man on the bus appeared to be unconscious.

A city bus is pictured in front of Taipei City Hall in an undated photograph.

Photo: Lin Cheng-hung, Taipei Times

The driver called the police and emergency service.

The New Taipei City Police Department’s Sindian Precinct said in a statement that when authorities arrived on the scene, it was clear that the man was dead.

A forensic examination found no signs of trauma and ruled out foul play for the time being, police said, adding that the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office has ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

The man, surnamed Kao (高), was later identified.

Sources said he used to conduct business in China before returning to Taiwan several years ago after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

He lived with his 88-year-old father in New Taipei City’s Shenkeng District (深坑), who cared for him on a daily basis, they said.

On Wednesday last week, Kao’s father took him to Taipei’s Wanfang Hospital for a follow-up appointment, they said.

After the appointment, the two were preparing to take a bus home when the father briefly turned away and realized his son was gone.

On Saturday, the father reported to police that Kao was missing, prompting a search.

Police on Sunday said their initial investigation found that Kao had boarded the bus at about 8:40pm on Thursday at the Qingtan Parking Lot stop in Sindian.

The bus, which runs in Taipei and New Taipei City, returned to its terminal in Sindian at about 10:30pm on Thursday, with the man still aboard, police said.

Surveillance footage showed that the bus remained at the terminal until Sunday morning, when it departed at 6:45am with the same driver, surnamed Chen (陳), police said.

Sindian Bus president Kao Tsan-huang (高燦煌) said in the statement that video footage from inside the bus showed the driver looking back on Thursday night before getting off and closing the door at the terminal, but failed to notice the man.

The bus did not resume service again until Sunday morning, because of the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, which began on Friday, he said.

Chen only learned that the man was still on the bus after the passenger reported the incident on Sunday morning, he added.

The company will cooperate with the police investigation and enhance training for its drivers to ensure that they check the buses properly before parking them at the end of the day, Kao Tsan-huang said.

Chen has been suspended from driving duties for failing to follow the proper procedure for clearing the bus, Sindian Bus said.

In addition, he might have suffered some trauma as a result of the incident and should not be on driving duty right now, the company said.

The bus will be safe to ride when it resumes service, as it will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, Kao Tsan-huang said.

Kuo Chien-chen (郭建辰), an official at the Taipei Public Transportation Office, on Sunday said that under his office’s regulations, bus operators are required to train their drivers to clear their buses properly at the end of their service routes.

The office has fined Sindian Bus NT$30,000 for failing to fulfill its managerial responsibilities in connection with the incident, Kuo said, adding that the penalty was imposed in accordance with the Highway Act (公路法).