Eight tourists injured in early-morning derailment

Eight people, including one child, were slightly injured when a tourist mini-train derailed on Mount Alishan early yesterday morning.

The train was carrying more than 300 tourists to Chushan (祝山), from where the sunrise over Yushan can be viewed.

Three of the train's eight cars came off the tracks about 3km from the Chaoping (沼平) station.

Unruffled after the derailment, some tourists continued the journey on foot to watch the sunrise, while others returned to their hotels to rest.

The derailed train was the first of three early-morning trains that carry tourists to watch the sunrise. More than 2,000 tourists were in the Alishan area yesterday despite the biting cold weather.

The derailment halted all services on the line. It was unclear when the line would be open again.

Disputes broke out between train station staff and tourists, some of whom demanded refunds on their train tickets and for tickets to the Alishan forest recreation area.

Station staff only refunded the cost of the train tickets.