Shocking derailment kills dozens in Taiwan

Dozens of people are believed to have died on Friday in derail a train in a tunnel in eastern Taiwan on the first day of a long weekend, while rescuers try to access the trapped passengers and hospital guards remain on alert to receive the victims.

Police reported 36 passengers with “cardiac arrest before arrival at the hospital”, a term used for someone without vital signs. 72 other people remained trapped inside the wagons and 61 were transferred to medical centers. According to CNN, more than 80 people were in serious condition.

the 408 Taroko Express transported about 350 people in a derailment at the Qingshui Tunnel in Huaelien County. It was heading from Taipei to the island’s southeastern city of Taitung and, according to media reports, a construction vehicle caused the crash by sliding down an embankment and hitting the train as it entered. the tunnel.

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The 408 is one of the fastest on Taiwan’s regular rail network, reaching speeds of up to 130 km / h. It runs along the popular East Coast region, especially through the spectacular mountains and gorges near Taroko National Park, through tunnels and bridges.

The accident happened at 9 a.m. on Friday near the coastal town of Hualien. “I had the impression that there had been a sudden violent shaking and I fell to the ground.a woman told UDN TV. “We broke the window to get on the roof of the train and get out.”

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Friday’s accident could be one of the worst rail disasters in recent decades in Taiwan, and this occurs three years after the death of 18 people at the southern end of the same line. The driver of the eight-car train was subsequently charged with negligent homicide. More than 200 of the 366 passengers were injured.

The accident coincides with the start of the annual Grave Cleanup Festival, a long holiday weekend that fills the country’s roads and railroads. During this time, locals usually return to their hometowns to clean the graves of loved ones and make offerings.

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