Pope Francis is seen along the of the Taroko Express Train crash on Sunday, April 4, 2021. (AP/NOWnews)
TAIPEI (The China Post/ANN) â The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, å¤äº¤é¨) announced Sunday that 745 heads of state, government, and foreign ministers, as well as dignitaries, representatives of international organizations and friends from 92 countries and international organizations, have sent their condolences to Taiwan.
Pope Francis also sent a letter to President Tsai Ing-wen (è¡è±æ) earlier that day to express his sincere condolences to the victims of the Taroko Express train crash that killed 48 and injured more than 200 people, the MOFA said.
Governor-General of Belize Sir Colville Young, Haiti Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves, Honduran Vice President Maria Antonia Rivera, St. Christopher and Nevis Foreign Minister Brandt, and the President of the Republic of Honduras, Mr. John K
TAROKO EXPRESS CRASH: Condolences pour in from Pope Francis, Dalai Lama, worldwide, ministry says
By Lu Yi-hsuan / Staff reporter
Hundreds of foreign dignitaries, including Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama, have expressed condolences following a train derailment in Hualien County on Friday last week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The crash was the nation’s worst rail tragedy in 40 years, killing 50 people and injuring 200 as of yesterday, after the Hualien District Prosecutors’ Office revised the death toll down from 51 following DNA testing.
The ministry said that as of noon yesterday, it had received messages from 745 heads of state, dignitaries or friends of the nation, and from 92 countries or international organizations.