On April 2, 2021, at about 0928 AM, Taroko Express No.408 of Taiwan Railways Administration, MOTC (TRA) departed from Shulin for Taitung, a total of 8 cars, with 494 passengers and 4 TRA staffs on board. When the train was on southbound between Heren and Chongde, about 231m after exiting Heren Tunnel and 39m before the north entrance of Cingshuei Tunnel ( K51+449.1) hit a crane truck stopped on the track that slid off the side slope from a nearby construction ramp. As a result, all eight cars of the train were derailed and car 8 to car 3 were stuck in the tunnel.

The left side of car 8 collided with the tunnel entrance and damaged, car 7 was disconnected from car 6, and car 6, 5, and 4 were squeezed and deformed. A total of 49 people were killed and more than 200 injured.

After receiving the notification, the Taiwan Transportation Safety Board (TTSB) identified that this event was a railway occurrence following the Transportation Occurrence Investigation Act and dispatched five groups of personnel to the scene by helicopters of National Airborne Service Corps.

Further information and progress of investigation for the case will be published on TTSB website.

Vivi Yang, Executive Officer

Tel: +886-2-7727-6217

 Email: viviy2314@ttsb.gov.tw