At least 5 die in Alishan train accident

Helicopters were dispatched to airlift the injured from the mountains to the hospital for treatment, according to officials from a disaster response center.

Four of the fatalities were confirmed to be tourists from China, the officials said.

Of the injured passengers, 30 were also from China, the officials said, adding that five Chinese tour groups comprising 110 people were on board the eight-carriage train when the accident occurred.

The scenic mountain in central Taiwan is one of the most popular destinations among Chinese tourists, and catching a train on the Alishan Forest Railway is a must on their itineraries.

President Ma Ying-jeou said he was “deeply saddened” by the accident and he directed authorities to speed up the rescue efforts and the investigation into the cause of the accident.

Lin Te-shu, deputy chief of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), said the MAC will provide assistance to the surviving tourists and the relatives of those killed.

The MAC will inform Chinese authorities of the relevant details of the accident, he said.

Immigration authorities said they would issue entry permits for the Chinese tourists' families as soon as possible.

The accident took place at around 12:17 p.m. at the railway's 70-kilometer mark, between the Sacred Tree Station and Alishan Station.

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