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This past week was a busy one for news. The week began with Taiwan’s government and the military dealing with the accidental shooting of a missile at the beginning of the month, which resulted in the death of a fishing boat captain and the injury of three others.
The defense ministry says that the accidental firing of the missile during a military exercise was “a product of many mistakes.” Deputy Defense Minister Lee Hsi-min said that if you eliminate any one of the mistakes in the chain of events, the mishap would not have occurred.
Deputy Minister Lee said that perhaps improvements could be made to the missile systems. But he said it was a fact that the navy had failed to follow standard operating procedures.
President Tsai Ing-wen has vowed introduce military reforms. She said that as commander in chief, she shares both honor and blame with the military.
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Also this past week, one of the top stories was an explosion inside a commuter train at Taipei’s Songshan Station, which injured 25 people, including the suspect.
Investigators found what may have been an explosive device in one of the train’s carriages. Fingerprints, DNA evidence, and surveillance camera footage point to 55-year-old Lin Ying-chang as a suspect. Though no motive has been suggested, Taiwan’s Central News Agency reports that Lin has a history of mental illness and financial troubles.
Lin sustained serious injuries to his lungs during the blast. The hospital treating him said that while he has regained consciousness, he was still intubated and unable to respond to questioning.
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And finally, this past week, the top story was the first typhoon of the season -- Super Typhoon Nepartak -- which struck southern Taiwan on Friday morning.
Nepartak made landfall in Taitung on the southeast coast just before 6 am on Friday, ripping off roofs, flipping cars and uprooting trees. At least three people were killed while more than 140 others were injured, primarily from shattered glass and flying debris.