Taiwan train crash: Seconds before his death, train driver slams on brakes to protect passengers

In the final moments of his life, train driver Yuan Chun-hsiu was determined to keep his passengers safe.

Seconds before the train crashed into a construction truck on the railway track, the 33-year-old slammed on the brakes and sounded the horn in order to reduce the damage from the collision, EBC News reported.

Yuan, along with his colleague Chiang Pei-feng, 32, died in the crash that took place in Hualien, Taiwan, on April 2 morning. 50 were confirmed dead and over 200 were injured in the express train service carrying nearly 500 passengers and crew.

The train was believed to be travelling at 130km/h at the time and would need 16.6 seconds and 600m to come to a stop, the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) said.

With the truck only 250m away, Yuan did not have enough time or distance for an emergency brake to avoid a collision.

The impact caused the eight-carriage train to derail as it entered a tunnel, destroying carriages five to eight and trapping passengers in the wreckage.

According to reports, the truck had slid down a sloping road from a nearby construction site onto the tracks outside the train tunnel.

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Yuan's dedication to his job moved many in the country.

At his wake on Tuesday (April 6), Taiwan transport minister Lin Chia-lung paid his respects and commended Yuan's bravery, saying that he sacrificed his life while taking care of his passengers.

"He died in the line of duty, we will fight to get the highest compensation for his family," Lin added.

Yuan's cremated remains were subsequently taken home to Taichung via a special train service to "complete the journey", the TRA said.

This is Taiwan's deadliest railway accident in decades. In October 2018, a train speeding through a curve in Yilan killed 18 and injured over 200.

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lamminlee@asiaone.com