Twenty-six people on a bus taking a Chinese tour group died Tuesday when a fire broke out in the vehicle on a highway near Taiwan’s main worldwide airport, the Taipei-based Central News Agency reported, citing authorities.
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A tourist bus has crashed into a highway crash barrier near Taoyuan Airport in Taiwan on Tuesday. The bus driver and tour guide, who also died, were Taiwanese nationals.
A firefighter at the scene said there were no survivors left alive when rescuers arrived.
The images showed thick plumes of smoke and burned-out wreckage at the roadside.
A police spokesman said the bus had caught fire before it crashed into the barrier but gave no reason. The bus ends up crashing into a guard rail.
The tour group of 24 people, eight men and 16 women, was from China’s north-eastern city of Dalian, the interior ministry said.
The fire started near the front of the bus, causing the driver to lose control and slam the bus into the railing, authorities said. Firefighters, who put out the fire in about 30 minutes.
The accident was the deadliest involving Chinese visitors to Taiwan since the island opened up to Chinese tourism in 2008, according to Taiwanese government records and reports of previous incidents.
Since then, 83 Chinese have died while on trips to Taiwan, including Tuesday’s victims.
Hsiao said the association will hold a memorial service for the deceased and help the victims’ families to identify their dead relatives through DNA testing.
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Bilateral communications between the two sides have been suspended since President Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party, which has been historically more skeptical of closer ties with China, took office in May.
