In Taiwan, flight GE-222 of TransAsia Airways was originally scheduled to depart from Kaohsiung for the Penghu Islands at 4 p.m. on July 23; it was delayed due to bad weather conditions. The plane finally departed at 5:43 p.m. While it attempted a second emergency landing in the Penghu islands, it lost contact with the control tower, also due to the severe weather. It was later found to have crashed into a residential area.
According to the Minister of Transportation and Communications, Yeh Kuang-shih, there were 54 passengers and four crew members on the plane. Eleven people were sent to Penghu Hospital and Tri-Service General Hospital Penghu Branch; the remaining 47 lost their lives. The cause of the crash and its aftermath are still being investigated.
The Tzu Chi Foundation has mobilized volunteers from Penghu and Kaoshiung; one team is accompanying relatives of the passengers at Penghu Magong Airport and Kaohsiung International Airport, while the other team has gone to the hospitals. At the same time, volunteers have contacted the fire departments to offer assistance.
Report by Tzu Chi Foundation 23/7/2014
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