Nerbudda incident

Nerbudda incident
Part of the First Opium War
Parade Ground in Taiwan (now Tainan) where the British subjects were publicly executed
Location	Taiwan, Taiwan Prefecture, Qing Empire (now Tainan, Taiwan)
Coordinates	25°09′04″N 121°45′22″E / 25.1511°N 121.7561°E / 25.1511; 121.7561
Date	10 August 1842
Target	Survivors of the Nerbudda and Ann shipwrecks
Attack type	Mass beheading
Deaths	197 prisoners executed 87 dead from ill-treatment
Perpetrators	Qing China

The Nerbudda incident (Chinese: 吶爾不噠號事件) was the summary execution of 197 personnel of the British transport ship Nerbudda and brig Ann in Taiwan on 10 August 1842 by Chinese officials during the First Opium War. An additional 87 prisoners died from ill treatment in Chinese captivity. In September 1841, the Nerbudda became shipwrecked off northern Taiwan near Keelung. In March 1842, the Ann became shipwrecked at Da'an harbour. Survivors from both ships—primarily Indian camp followers and lascars—were captured by Chinese forces and marched south to the capital of Taiwan Prefecture, where they were imprisoned before being beheaded by the Chinese. Out of the nearly 300 castaways who landed or attempted to land in Taiwan, only 11 survived captivity and execution. The Daoguang Emperor ordered the execution on 14 May 1842, after the British victory over Chinese troops at the Battle of Ningpo.