Filipino caregivers among seven migrant workers injured in fatal Pingtung van crash

A van carrying seven migrant family caregivers from Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines crashed into a utility pole in Pingtung County's Yanpu Township, killing the driver and injuring all seven passengers.

A van carrying seven migrant workers crashed into a utility pole in Pingtung County late Tuesday, killing the driver and injuring all seven passengers, Focus Taiwan reported, citing the county's Bureau of Fire and Emergency Services. Local media reported that the workers, from Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines, were all family caregivers.

What happened

The bureau said it received a report at around 7 p.m. that a van had crashed into a utility pole on a riverside road in Yanpu Township, and that a man was trapped inside the vehicle. Rescuers extricated the 56-year-old driver, surnamed Wu, who had no vital signs and was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

All seven injured migrant workers, five women and two men, were taken to hospitals. A woman in her 30s remained unconscious, while the other six suffered fractures to their hands and feet and other injuries to their arms and legs, the bureau said.

Investigation under way

Police said the crash happened for reasons that remain unclear. Investigators have been sent to collect evidence, and police will review nearby surveillance footage and dashcam recordings to determine the exact circumstances.

According to local media reports cited by Focus Taiwan and the Taipei Times, the van was taking the caregivers home after a health checkup. The reports did not say how many of the seven were from the Philippines.

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