Taiwan train crash: 41 dead, dozens injured

Taiwan: A Taiwan express train with 500 people aboard was partially derailed in a tunnel in eastern Taiwan on Friday after being hit by an unmanned vehicle that had rolled down a hill, killing 48 people and leaving dozens injured.

Taiwanese Premier Su Tseng-chang said the Railways Administration would be required to immediately conduct checks along other track lines to "prevent this from happening again". An investigation has been launched into the crash though there are no immediate word about any arrests.

"In response to a train derailment in Hualien, Taiwan, our emergency services have been fully mobilized to rescue & assist the passengers & railway staff affected. We will continue to do everything we can to ensure their safety in the wake of this heartbreaking incident." said Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in a tweet.

The island's worst rail disaster in at least four decades came on the first day of the four-day Tomb Sweeping Festival, an annual religious holiday when people travel to their hometowns for family gatherings and to pay their respects at the graves of their ancestors.

Taiwan's extensive rail system has undergone substantial upgrades in recent years, particularly with the addition of a high-speed line connecting the capital Taipei with west coast cities to the south. The train involved in Friday's derailment, the Toroko No. 408, is one of Taiwan's newer models.