2018 Yilan train derailment
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (October 2018) |
| 2018 Yilan train derailment | |
|---|---|
 Crashed carriages on the site | |
| Details | |
| Date | 21 October 2018 16:50 local time (UTC+8) |
| Location | Xinma station, Su'ao, Yilan County |
| Coordinates | 24°36′57″N 121°49′24″E / 24.61583°N 121.82333°E |
| Country | Taiwan |
| Line | Eastern Trunk line |
| Operator | Taiwan Railways Administration |
| Service | 6432 Puyuma express bound for Taitung |
| Incident type | Derailment |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 1 |
| Deaths | 18[1] |
| Injured | 187[1] |
| Red timestamp is time of crash, other timestamps are scheduled departures[2] | |
On 21 October 2018, a passenger train derailed and crashed in Yilan County, Taiwan, killing at least 18 people and injuring 187.[3][4][5] It was Taiwan's worst rail accident since the 1991 Miaoli collision (zh) which killed 30 people.[4][6]
Accident
At 16:50 local time (UTC+8), a Puyuma express train, service 6432 from Shulin bound for Taitung, derailed on a curve with a radius of 300 metres (980 ft) when passing through the Xinma station in Yilan County, about 70 kilometres (43 mi) from Taipei.[1][7] There were 366 passengers travelling on the train.[1][8]
Of the eight carriages (cars) 3 through 8 were toppled over and collided into each other in a "W" shape, while the rest went off the track with lesser damage.[4] The front carriage was seen tipped over at an angle of 75 degrees, and most of the fatalities are believed to have been in this carriage.[9] Survivor accounts claimed that the driver applied the emergency brake multiple times before the incident, and another claimed that the train sped up after the curve.[10]
All trains in the eastern trunk line were halted in both directions, with replacement bus services being used instead.[11] Hundreds of medics and firefighters, and 100 army troops responded to the scene.[12] As of 21:35 local time all passengers, including those deceased had been removed/evacuated from the wreckage.[13] The derailment is the worst train accident in Taiwan since 1991, when 30 people were killed in a collision near Miaoli.[6]
According to a press release from the Taiwan Railways Administration on 21 October, the cause of the accident is as yet unknown.[6][9] The train involved in the accident was built by the Japanese company Nippon Sharyo in 2011, and underwent major maintenance work in 2017.[14]
Victims
At least 18 people were killed in the accident, with another 187 injured, all on board. According to reports, one of the injured was a United States citizen.[1]
Six of the deceased victims reportedly were under the age of 18.[15] Taiwan's Railway Authority confirmed that 8 of the deceased victims were of the same family, and the Health Ministry confirmed that 53 injured remained in the hospital.[16]
Investigation
The cause of the derailment is still under investigation.
On 22 October 2018, it was reported that the driver of the train reported an issue with the main air compressor just before the derailment. However, the Chief Secretary of Taiwan Railways Administration, Chu Lai-shun (朱來順), said that a full failure of the main air compressor would cause insufficient power and problems with deceleration, and should not cause a derailment. In addition, the train's Automatic train protection (ATP) was disabled shortly before the derailment for unknown reasons. According to taiwannews.com.tw, "Investigators believe that without ATPS to keep the train in check, it [the train] reached a highly dangerous speed for the curved section of track, ultimately leading the train to leap off the rails."[17]
Responses
President Tsai Ing-wen called the accident a "major tragedy" and directed the government and military to "step up" rescue efforts.[18] The President also called for an investigation into the crash, that would "make clear the timing and situation of the whole accident."[10]
As a result of the incident, the Democratic Progressive Party and Kuomintang halted campaigning for the November local elections.[7]
The Taipei Blood Donation Center issued a press release, that highlighted local blood donation centers and urged for blood donors to donate.[19]
Memorials
The Taiwan President met with relatives of the deceased victims, and those injured on 22 October. She joined Buddhist monks in prayer, at an altar next to the hospital, and told relatives "We are really sorry... you have to stay strong," and "We will do everything we can."[15]
See also
- Santiago de Compostela derailment (2013), driver inattention lead to train approaching a curve at twice the posted speed limit and subsequently derailing.
- Southall rail crash (1997), disabled warning equipment lead to train passing a signal at danger and colliding with a conflicting movement.
- Morpeth derailement (1969), distracted driver, overspeed in curve led to derailment and subsequent introduction of a warning system to announce major speed reductions.
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Taiwan train derailment in Yilan County kills at least 18". BBC News. 21 October 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- ^ "臺灣鐵路東部幹線對號快車時刻表 Eastern Mainline Line 樹林→台東 [Shulin→Taitung]" (PDF). Taiwan Railways Administration.
- ^ 聯合新聞網. "不斷更新／普悠瑪列車翻覆意外8節全出軌 18死逾百人傷 - 普悠瑪翻車意外 - 社會 - 聯合新聞網". Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- ^ a b c Central News Agency (21 October 2018). "Puyuma Express train derailed in Yilan, killing at least 18, injured over 100. (Chinese)". Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- ^ "UPDATE: Taiwan East Coast Rail Crash in Yilan Kills 17, Injures 120" (in Chinese). Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- ^ a b c "At least 18 dead after train derailed in Taiwan's worst rail disaster in decades". The Straits Times. 21 October 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- ^ a b "Train derailment death toll revised to 18". Focus Taiwan. 21 October 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- ^ "Train derails in Taiwan, killing 17 people and injuring at least 132".
- ^ a b "Taiwan rail crash kills 18 as train flips". The Daily Telegraph. 21 October 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- ^ a b Jennings, Ralph (22 October 2018). "Taiwan's President Calls for Probe of Fatal Train Crash". Time. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ "UPDATE: Taiwan East Coast Rail Crash in Yilan Kills 18, Injures 148". The News Lens. 21 October 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- ^ hermes (22 October 2018). "Frantic search for survivors in Taiwan train disaster". The Straits Times. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
- ^ "Passengers on derailed Taiwan train tell of narrow escape". Channel NewsAsia. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
- ^ "台灣鐵路「近30年最慘」翻車意外 事故原因調查中". BBC News Chinese (in Chinese). 21 October 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- ^ a b Foundation, Thomson Reuters. ""Why?" asks Taiwan mourner after 18 killed in crash of speeding train". news.trust.org. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
{{cite news}}:|first=has generic name (help) - ^ hermes (23 October 2018). "Eight family members among 18 killed in rail crash in Taiwan". The Straits Times. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
- ^ News, Taiwan. "ATPS disabled before deadly Puyuma Expre... | Taiwan News". Taiwan News. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
{{cite news}}:|last=has generic name (help); no-break space character in|title=at position 21 (help) - ^ "蔡英文 Tsai Ing-wen on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- ^ News, Taiwan. "Blood donations urged after deadly train dera... | Taiwan News". Taiwan News. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
{{cite news}}:|last=has generic name (help)
External links
Media related to 2018 Yilan train derailment at Wikimedia Commons
