China will be participating in an investigation into the plane crash that killed at least 31 people in Taipei Wednesday. That’s the word from the spokesman for the Taiwan-based Aviation Safety Council, Wang Hsing-chung, on Thursday.
Wang said that since 31 of the 58 people on board TransAsia Airways Flight GE 235 were Chinese nationals, China has the right to be part of the investigation team as stipulated by international aviation rules.
Sixteen Chinese citizens were killed in the accident. Three Chinese survivors are in hospital receiving treatment. The remaining Chinese passengers are still unaccounted for.
France, where the crashed ATR-72 turbo-prop plane was built, and Canada, where the plane’s engines were manufactured, will also join the inquiry.
Meanwhile, China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) and the China National Tourism Administration will be sending officials to Taiwan to help victims’ family members.