Tour bus overturns on mountain road: 1 dead, 38 injured

One person died, and 38 were injured after a tour bus overturned on a mountain road in Yilan County, Sunday afternoon, October 5.

The Yilan County Fire Department dispatched personnel and equipment from eight fire stations following reports of a bus crashing and overturning at the 5.3 kilometer mark of the Taiping Mountain Access Road at 3:17 pm.

According to reports, there were 42 people aboard the bus, which was carrying a group of environmental volunteers from Bade District, Taoyuan City, on a trip to the Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area. Reports from outlets including Taiwan’s Public Television Service (PTS) quoted the bus driver as saying that the bus stalled while it was going downhill, and that he attempted to apply the brakes, including the handbrake, “but it was no use.” The bus crashed into the mountain wall before turning over onto its side.

A 70-year-old woman, named Guo lost vital signs at the scene of the accident and was declared dead after arrival at the hospital. Among the injured, six were described as seriously injured, five moderate, and 25 slightly injured. Only three people were spared of injury, including the driver.

According to the preliminary investigation, the bus is only four years old and has undergone regular maintenance and safety inspections.

Taiwan English News is an independent publication with no corporate funding. If you found this article informative, and would like to support my work, please buy me a coffee or support me on Patreon. Subscribe to Taiwan English News for free to receive the latest news via email. Advertising queries are welcome. Share, like, comment below.