7 charged with negligence in fatal derailment in Taiwan

Seven people were on Friday charged with negligence and causing death in the case of a train derailment that claimed 49 lives in Taiwan.

The train derailed on April 2, when a maintenance truck slid from a slope near a construction site above the tracks and hit a Taroko Express train passing through eastern Hualien County.

The front of the eight-carriage train with nearly 500 people on board, travelling from Taipei to eastern Taitung County, was hit by the vehicle shortly before entering a tunnel.

According to Hualien chief prosecutor Chou Fang-I, two defendants – a construction site manager and his assistant – failed to use a crane to remove the maintenance truck stuck on the slope, after the manager had parked it there.

The two persons also failed to report the accident to the railway operator or the police, state-run Central News Agency reported.

Chou said that the manager faces imprisonment of up to five years for negligence causing death and imprisonment of up to seven years for hit-and-run, CNA reported.

The remaining defendants, who are linked to the questionable construction site, face charges including negligence causing death, use of forged documents and violation of the Government Procurement Law.

Lin Chia-lung, minister of transportation and communications, tendered his resignation on Thursday.

He is to step down on April 20 to shoulder the political responsibility for the accident.