| Hsiung Feng III missile mishap 雄風三型反艦飛彈誤射事件 | |
| Date: | 1 July 2016 |
| Time: | 8:40 a.m. |
| Place: | Off Dongji Island, Wangan Township, Penghu County, Taiwan |
| Participants: | Taiwan |
| Reported Deaths: | 1 |
| Reported Injuries: | 3 |
On 1 July 2016, a Hsiung Feng III missile was accidentally launched from a Republic of China Navy vessel from waters off Kaohsiung towards Penghu. The missile hit a fishing boat at 8:40 a.m., killing one person and injuring three.[1] [2]
The Chin Chiang PGG-610 patrol ship was undergoing a regular simulation training exercise for military equipment on the morning of 1 July (Friday) at Zuoying Naval Base in Zuoying District, Kaohsiung. The missile was accidentally launched at 8:00 a.m. during an inspection at the navy base. The missile cruised around for two minutes towards China before hitting a Taiwanese fishing boat. The missile did not explode upon impact. The navy sent a helicopter and navy vessels to the area for damage inspection.[3]
The mishap killed the Taiwanese boat's captain and injured its three crew members, from Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam.[3]
The missile did not cross the median line of the Taiwan Strait, which separates Taiwan and China.[4]
An investigation of the incident concluded in August 2016.[5] [6] Three ROC naval officers were charged by the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office.[7] The Ministry of Justice announced in November that the family of captain Huang Wen-chung would be paid NT$34.84 million in compensation.[8] The Control Yuan voted against impeachment proceedings for nine naval officers in July 2017.[9] The Kaohsiung District Court issued its first ruling on the case that September, sentencing Petty Officer Second Class Kao Chia-chun to eighteen months imprisonment, Chief Petty Officer Chen Ming-hsiu to 24 months imprisonment, and Lieutenant Junior Grade Hsu Po-wei to fourteen months imprisonment.[10] The Control Yuan held a second vote and began impeachment proceedings against nine naval officers in February 2018.[11] The next month, the Control Yuan advised that communication between the Executive Yuan and Ministry of National Defense be improved.[12] The Kaohsiung bench of the Taiwan High Court reduced Chen Ming-hsiu's sentence to 21 months in June 2018.[13]