Fujian river plunge accident: identities of two victims Lin Taiping and Tong Azhu confirmed

▲ A Taiwan tour group’s bus plunged into a river in Zhangzhou, with five people still missing. (Photo / Screenshot from mainland websites)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

On the 23rd, a tour bus operated by Wufu Travel Agency plunged into a river in Zhangzhou, Fujian Province, China. On the 24th, the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation announced the latest search and rescue updates regarding the seven missing tourists. Among the seven missing individuals, the bodies of two tourists have been found: Lin Taiping (male, 68 years old) and Tong Azhu (female, 46 years old). Search and rescue efforts for the remaining five missing persons are still ongoing at the scene.

Officials from the Taiwan Affairs Office in Zhangzhou stated that according to local government statistics, a total of 134 vessels of various types, including civilian boats, stationed military forces, and local armed police — involving around 2,100 personnel — have been deployed for the on-site search and rescue operation. However, as of noon on the 24th, the five missing tourists had not yet been found.

Li Jiabin, director of the Shanghai Office of the Straits Exchange Foundation under the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation, and team leader Hong Zhiguang also arrived in Zhangzhou on the morning of the 24th. They visited the injured tourists in the hospital, assisted with post-accident arrangements for the travelers and their families, and arranged accommodation for family members who had arrived in Xiamen to rest at hotels.

Currently, seven Taiwanese tourists — Gu Yaling (female, 31 years old), Xu Yuexia (female, 45 years old), Yang Kun (male, 50 years old), Qiu Yingzhen (male, 53 years old), Huang Shan (female, 51 years old), Lai Yunqi (female, 38 years old), and Fang Xiaofeng (male, 41 years old) — have been discharged from the hospital and have gone to Xiamen to reunite with their families. Additionally, due to fully booked flights today and tomorrow, arrangements with airlines are still underway. However, the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation stated that they will work with the Taiwan Affairs Office and the travel agency to ensure all tourists return to Taiwan as soon as possible.