One dead, 38 injured after tour bus overturns in Taiwan

One person has died and 38 others were injured after a tour bus rolled over Sunday afternoon on the access road to Taipingshan National Forest Recreation Area in Taiwan's Yilan County, according to local authorities, Report informs via CNA.

Yilan County emergency services said the tour bus carrying 42 people, including 40 tourists from Taoyuan, the driver and a tour guide, overturned at around 3 p.m. (GMT+8) near the 5.3-kilometer marker of the road while descending the mountain.

A total of 39 people were sent to the hospital, including seven who were seriously injured, five who were moderately injured, and 26 who had minor injuries.

One woman, around 70 years old, was found at the scene of the incident without vital signs and rushed to Lotung Poh-Ai Hospital where she was pronounced dead, according to authorities.

According to a preliminary police investigation, the tour bus was unable to slow down due to a malfunctioning foot brake.

Although the driver immediately pulled the parking brake, he was unable to stop the vehicle, which then veered off the road and onto a guardrail before slamming into a cliff face and overturning near Jiuzhize Hot Springs.

A breathalyzer test given to the driver came back negative.

Further investigations into the cause of the accident are still underway, authorities said.