Taiwan mourns after deadliest train disaster in decades

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen speaks at Hualien Armed Forces General Hospital a day after a deadly train derailment in a tunnel north of Hualien, Taiwan April 3, 2021. - Reuters

HUALIEN (Taiwan), April 3 (AFP): Salvage teams began removing mangled train carriages on Saturday after Taiwan's worst rail disaster in decades killed at least 50 people, as flags flew half-mast across an island plunged into mourning.

Officials said Friday's devastating collision was caused when a parked railway maintenance vehicle slipped down an embankment and onto the tracks.