A tragic oversight, failing to properly put the handbrake on a construction truck, could, according to Taiwanese railway officials, be at the root of the worst train disaster in Taiwan in decades, which cost 51 people their lives and was injured last Friday. of another 190. With this burden on his conscience, Lee Yi-hsiang, his voice broken by tears, read a statement to the media: "I have remorse and would like to express my sincere apologies. I will collaborate in the investigations conducted by the police and the prosecution to take on the responsibilities that lie with me, "he added.
Lee, 49, is part of a team that regularly inspects the railway line in eastern Taiwan, in a mountainous area that experiences landslides and is prone to other hazards.
Investigators believe that the Taroko Express crashed into a construction truck that after slipping from an embankment onto the railroad tracks hit the train, carrying 550 passengers, moments before it entered a tunnel.
Lee Yi-hsiang was released on bail after being questioned by prosecutors who banned him from leaving Taiwan pending further investigation.
But Taiwanese media reported today that the man had been returned to custody for fear of leaving the country as he had been convicted of forgery in the past.