Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The Puyuma Express 6432 service came off the tracks close to Xinma station

At least 18 people have been killed and 187 injured after a passenger train derailed in north-east Taiwan.

Railway authorities say they are investigating the accident, which happened in Yilan County at about 16:50 local time (08:50 GMT) on Sunday.

A total of 366 passengers were on the train when all eight of its carriages derailed.

The incident is Taiwan's worst rail accident in 27 years. At least three children were among the dead.

"The train was going very fast. I hit a wall when the car started to flip. Around five to six people were thrown out of the carriage door," passenger Henry Tseng told Reuters news agency.

"There [was] no time to think what happened. Everyone was in a rush to get out."

It is not clear if any passengers remain unaccounted for - with reports providing conflicting details.

'Overturned at 90 degrees'

The Puyuma Express 6432 service came off the tracks close to Xinma station, near the town of Su'ao about 70km (43 miles) from Taipei.

It was travelling between Taipei and the eastern county of Taitung.

"There are four carriages that were overturned at 90 degrees and the worst casualties were in those carriages," said Jackson Lu, director-general of the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA).

He had earlier told a press conference that the train was only six years old and had been in "pretty good condition" before the accident.

It remains unclear what caused the train to derail, but witnesses told local media they heard a loud noise then sparks and smoke.

Video footage on local television showed passengers breaking windows to escape the carriages.

"I smashed the safety glass and crawled out and I helped to pull a young man out," one passenger told reporters. "There was a person sitting behind me. I'm not sure she survived."

Image copyright AFP Image caption Authorities say five of the train's eight carriages ended up on their side

Another woman, Tung Xiao-ling, lost eight family members who had been returning from her sister's wedding celebration.

"No one can accept that one day you are a bride and the next day you are mourning a family member," Ms Tung, who was not onboard, told Reuters.

An AFP news agency reporter at the scene said more bodies were being removed from the damaged carriages at about 20:00 local time (12:00 GMT) on Sunday night.

Photographs from the scene show seats upended, with parts of the railway tracks twisted through carriage windows in places.

Image copyright AFP Image caption Tsai Ing-wen has asked for a speedy investigation

Taiwan's leader, Tsai Ing-wen, arrived in Xinma on Monday morning. She said she had "asked prosecutors to clarify the situation" and quickly determine what caused the derailment.

She also met relatives of passengers affected by the disaster.

"We are really sorry... you have to stay strong," Ms Tsai told the mother of a seventh-grade girl who was killed in the crash.

Taiwan has an extensive train network and more than half a million passengers travel on the system every day.</s>The president of Taiwan is demanding a swift investigation into an express train derailment, which has killed 18 people.

187 others were injured in the crash yesterday.

The driver had reported a problem with a braking system, and some passengers say the train had been travelling too fast.</s>At least 17 people have died and 126 have been injured after a train derailed in northeastern Taiwan on Sunday.

Government authorities said the accident happened in Yilan County, with several carriages overturning on a coastal railway which is popular among tourists.

“As of 6.30pm there are 17 dead on site and 126 people injured,” the Taiwan Railways Administration said in a statement.

Taiwan’s central government said that rescue services were at the scene and that the premier had been notified and was highly concerned over the safety of the travellers.

Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported that more than 30 people were still trapped in the train.</s>DONGSHAN TOWNSHIP, Taiwan — At least 22 people were killed and 171 others injured on Sunday when one of Taiwan’s newer, faster trains derailed on a curve along a popular weekend route, officials said.

The Puyuma express train was carrying more than 366 passengers from a suburb of Taipei in the north toward Taitung, a city on Taiwan’s southeast coast, when it went off the tracks at 4:50 p.m., the Taiwan central government said in a statement.

Hours later, one of the train’s eight cars was seen tipped over at about a 75-degree angle, with the entire right side destroyed. Firefighters with lights on their hard hats, fearing people may be trapped beneath the car, were looking underneath as a crane prepared to upend it.
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The National Fire Agency cited the Cabinet spokesman’s office as saying 22 people were killed and 171 injured in the disaster.

Some passengers were crushed to death, Ministry of National Defence spokesman Chen Chung-chi said. “Their train car turned over. They were crushed, so they died right away,” Chen said.

Soldiers have been removing bodies to identify them, he added, but nightfall was complicating rescue work.

Photos from the scene just south of the city of Luodong showed the train’s eight cars in a zig-zag formation near the tracks. Five of the cars are turned over on their sides.

Most of the deaths were in the first car, which flipped over, a government spokesman said.

It was unclear how many people may still be trapped in the train, said the spokesman, who spoke on customary condition of anonymity. Some 120 soldiers joined firefighters in their rescue work.

On a live feed provided by Taiwan’s United Daily News, rescuers were seen carefully carrying what appeared to be a body wrapped in white plastic away from the site.

Local television reports said passengers were trying to escape through train windows and that bystanders had gathered to help them before rescuers arrived.

The Puyuma was launched in 2013 to handle the very difficult topography of Taiwan’s east coast and is distinct from the high-speed rail that runs on the west coast. The trains travel up to 150 kilometres (93 miles) per hour, faster than any other in Taiwan except for high-speed rail.

The train that derailed is six years old and its most recent inspection and major maintenance took place in 2017, Taiwan Railways Administration Director Lu Chie-shen said at a televised news conference.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the derailment.</s>A train derailment in northeastern Taiwan on Sunday killed at least 17 people and injured 126, government authorities said.

The accident took place on Sunday afternoon in Yilan County near the coast, with several carriages overturned on a railway popular among tourists.

“As of 6.30pm there are 17 dead on site and 126 people injured,” the Taiwan Railways Administration said in a statement, adding that the train had been moving between two stations in Yilan County before the derailment occurred.

Taiwan`s central government said that rescue services were at the scene and that the premier had been notified and was highly concerned over the safety of the travelers.

Taiwan`s Central News Agency reported that more than 30 people were still trapped in the train early on Sunday evening.</s>At least 17 people have died after a train derailed and flipped over in Taiwan.

Taiwan's Railway Administration confirmed 17 people were killed and 126 others were injured after the train derailed on Sunday.

At least five carriages had flipped over and were lying on their side.

Images from the site showed the high-speed Puyuma Express train completely derailed and lying zig-zagged across the track.

Taiwan authorities said the accident had happened at 4.50pm local time, with no cause yet given.

The National Fire Agency said there had been 310 people on board the service en route to the southern city of Taitung.</s>The accident took place in Yilan County. in northeastern Taiwan, when several train carriages overturned on a coastal railway.

The train, carrying more than 300 passengers, was headed towards Taitung, a city on the country's southeast coast.

An investigation into the cause of the accident is still underway.</s>The government said the train had been carrying 366 people, and the Central News Agency said more than 30 were still trapped on board. (Photo: AP)

Taipei: At least 18 people died and 160 were injured when a train derailed in northeastern Taiwan on Sunday, authorities said.

Several carriages were overturned in the crash, which occurred in Yilan County near the coast on a line popular among tourists.

The government said the train had been carrying 366 people, and the Central News Agency said more than 30 were still trapped on board.

Footage on local TV showed rescuers and dozens of military personnel working through the wreckage on Sunday night in search of survivors, with ambulances stationed nearby.

The toll at 7:45 pm was 18 dead and 160 injured, the fire department said in a statement.

“We will use all our strength and efforts for the rescue,” President Tsai Ing-wen wrote on her Facebook page.

An investigation was under way to find out the cause of the accident, Taiwan Railways Administration said. “The train was in pretty good condition,” its Deputy Chief Lu Chieh-Shen told a news conference.

The authority was also checking to see if any foreigners were on board.</s>At least 17 people have died after a train derailed and flipped over in Taiwan.

The Puyuma express train was carrying more than 300 passengers when it went off the tracks on Sunday afternoon.

Taiwan's Railway Administration confirmed 17 people were killed and 126 others were injured

The railway administration, citing the fire department, said the 17 people died of cardiac arrest. The injured are being treated in four different hospitals.

At least five carriages had flipped over and were lying on their side.

Images from the site showed the high-speed Puyuma Express train completely derailed and lying zig-zagged across the track.

Taiwan authorities said the accident had happened at 4.50pm local time, with no cause yet given.

The National Fire Agency said there had been 310 people on board the service en route to the southern city of Taitung.</s>TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Eighteen people were killed and at least 160 others injured on Sunday when one of Taiwan's newer, faster trains derailed on a curve along a popular weekend route, officials said.

The Puyuma express train was carrying more than 366 passengers from a suburb of Taipei toward Taitung, a city on Taiwan's southeast coast, when it went off the tracks at 4:50 p.m., the Taiwan central government said in a statement.

The National Fire Agency cited the Cabinet spokesman's office as saying 18 people were killed and 160 injured.

Some passengers were crushed to death, Ministry of National Defense spokesman Chen Chung-chi said. "Their train car turned over. They were crushed, so they died right away," Chen said.

Soldiers have been removing bodies to identify them, he added, but nightfall was complicating rescue work.

Photos from the scene just south of the city of Luodong showed the train's eight cars in a zig-zag formation near the tracks. Five of the cars are turned over on their sides.

Most of the deaths were in the first car, which flipped over, a government spokesman said.

It was unclear how many people may still be trapped in the train, said the spokesman, who spoke on customary condition of anonymity. Some 120 soldiers joined firefighters in their rescue work.

On a live feed provided by Taiwan's United Daily News, rescuers were seen carefully carrying what appeared to be a body wrapped in white plastic away from the site.

Local television reports said passengers were trying to escape through train windows and that bystanders had gathered to help them before rescuers arrived.

The Puyuma was launched in 2013 to handle the very difficult topography of Taiwan's east coast and is distinct from the high-speed rail that runs on the west coast. The trains travel up to 150 kilometers (93 miles) per hour, faster than any other in Taiwan except for high-speed rail.

The train that derailed is 6 years old and its most recent inspection and major maintenance took place in 2017, Taiwan Railways Administration Director Lu Chie-shen said at a televised news conference.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the derailment.

Associated Press writer Yanan Wang in Beijing contributed to this report.

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At least 18 people are killed and 187 are injured after a train derails in Yilan County, Taiwan.