The crash occurred as tour bus was returning from a trip to Wulin Farm in Central Taiwan to view cherry blossoms
Taiwan News
Date: 2017/02/13
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A tour bus flipped over as it was heading southbound on Freeway No. 5 at
Scene of tour bus crash (By Central News Agency)
approximately 9 pm, killing 32 passengers and injuring 12, none of whom are believed to be Chinese tourists at the time of writing .
According to a preliminary investigation by highway police, the tour bus was on its way back to Taipei from a visit to the Wuling Farm (武陵農場) to view cherry blossoms when the bus suddenly flipped off the side of an exit ramp connecting Freeway No. 5 (from Yilan County to Nangang) to southbound lanes of Freeway No. 3.
Highway police said according to a preliminary investigation, the tour bus was leased by a travel agency headquartered in Taipei’s Datong District, Chongqing North Road Section 1, and is believed to have had 44 people (primarily senior citizens) on board, including the driver and tour guide.
Authorities said that 32 have perished as a result of the crash, and as rescue efforts are still underway, the northbound Shihting ramp of Freeway No. 5 is closed to all traffic. Drivers are advised to find alternate routes. [FULL STORY]
