A Taiwan court on Tuesday ordered Hong Kong Cantopop star Andy Lau to pay Tw$2.67 million ($85,000) to a Taiwanese airline for damaging its helicopter during a film stunt in 1997.
Lau was shooting the action flick “The Island of Greed” on location in Taiwan in the Daily Air Corp-loaned chopper when an accident occurred in mid-air.
As Lau jumped out of the helicopter, he brushed against the pitch stick, unsteadying the aircraft and causing its rotor blade to hit lighting equipment.
A district court held the popular star responsible and ordered him to pay Tw$5.1 million. The amount was raised to Tw$6.9 million after he lost an appeal at a higher court.
Following another appeal, the compensation was lowered to Tw$2.67 million at a verdict of the higher court.
Judges said that while Lau was partly responsible the pilot should have barred entry into the cockpit by any passengers according to the law.
The ruling was retained by the supreme court and became final.
Daily Air filed the suit in 1998 but a Taipei district court only handed down the verdict in 2008. Court officials had said the case dragged on because the defendants were in Hong Kong.
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