Grief on seventh day after Taiwan train derailment

台火車事故頭七悲痛欲絕

Overwhelming grief for train derailment victims' families on Saturday, the seventh day after their deaths


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The anguish was overpowering for some of the grieving families of the 18 people who died as a result of the Oct. 21 train derailment in Yilan, on Saturday, the seventh day after their deaths.

A seventh day memorial ceremony is customarily held after a person's death, for religious reasons in Taiwanese culture.

The oldest daughter of Chu Yung-chao (朱永照), a tour guide who lost his life in the Oct. 21 train accident, chose Saturday as the date of her engagement ceremony with her fiance, a report of Chinese-language China Times said on Sunday.

Chu Yu-Hsuan (朱育萱) exchanged rings with her partner in front of her father’s memorial hall in hopes of bringing her deceased father peace of mind, according to the report.

As the master of the engagement ceremony announced that the ceremony had come to the part of offering thanks to her father who had given her so much love and kindness, Chu couldn't hold herself together, dropping to her knees and crying for minutes, moving families and friends attending the ceremony to tears, the report said .

Chu told President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who came to her father's memorial hall to offer her condolence the other day, that her father's biggest wish was to hold her hands and walk her down the aisle at her wedding, which is scheduled for next year.

On a separate occasion, Saturday was the funeral of Chang Chia-ying (張加穎), a junior high school teacher who also died in the train accident.

Chang’s mother cried out “My daughter is gone” as her daughter’s coffin was being lifted into a cremator, according to China Times.

In addition, more than 200 trains across Taiwan operated by Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) simultaneously blew their horns for about 6 seconds at 4:50 p.m. Saturday afternoon, the same time the Puyuma train derailed near Xinma Station in Yilan on Oct. 21, as a mark of respect for the victims, according to Central News Agency (CNA).

"Meanwhile, train No. 432, which passed the accident site at 4:30 p.m., blew its horn for more than 30 seconds," the CNA report said.


Chang Chia-ying's funeral is held on Saturday, the first seventh day after her death (photo by CNA)