All 26 people on a tour bus died when the vehicle caught fire on the freeway to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Tuesday. Among the victims were 24 Chinese tourists. The cause of the fire is not immediately known.
The tour group was from Liaoning Province in northeastern China. The group was on the final day of an eight-day trip and headed to the airport to catch a flight back to Dalian.
Premier Lin Chuan has asked authorities to quickly clarify the cause of the accident, while the interior ministry has set up an emergency center headed up by the National Fire Agency with assistance from the transportation, justice and health ministries to deal with the aftermath.
Government spokesperson Tung Chen-yuan said the Tourism Bureau has already informed Beijing and Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council and Straits Exchange Foundation have completed their reporting procedures.
Tung said arrangements are being made for the victims’ family members to fly to Taiwan at the earliest possible time.