A tragic accident in southern Taiwan has evoked widespread sympathy after a car carrying five family members plunged into a valley, claiming all their lives – including a baby and the father, who initially escaped from the vehicle but lost his life in a desperate attempt to save his family.
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The only survivor was the family’s 14-year-old son, who had stayed home to care for his grandfather and consequently avoided the ill-fated trip.
The incident occurred on July 30 in the Taoyuan District of Kaohsiung, when a car carrying a 33-year-old man, surnamed Li, his 37-year-old wife, surnamed Wu, and their three children – including a 17-year-old daughter, a three-year-old son, and a one-month-old baby girl – plunged nine metres into a mountain ravine.
The road had been severely eroded due to days of continuous heavy rainfall. At the time of the accident, it was pouring rain and visibility was extremely low, exacerbating the hazardous conditions.
Life had already been challenging for the family. Li worked as a mould maker, while Wu took on various odd jobs to support their children. Their 17-year-old daughter had just undergone surgery and rehabilitation in May following a bicycle accident.
The family was on their way down from their mountain home for follow-up medical appointments, including a check-up for their one-month-old infant.
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During the tragedy, Li initially managed to escape from the vehicle and climbed out of the valley to seek help three times, as reported by Taiwan EBC News.
The first time, when the vehicle was still stranded, he asked a nearby driver to use headlights to illuminate the scene. The second time, he begged rescuers to save the children still trapped in the car.