Kaohsiung: The remains of two individuals were discovered after a car carrying a family of five plunged into a ravine in Liouguei, Kaohsiung, on Wednesday night. Rescuers faced challenges due to the depth of the site, which prevented the use of heavy machinery. As a result, they resorted to digging with shovels or by hand. The search efforts were temporarily halted due to heavy rain, according to Kaohsiung City Government’s Fire Bureau.

According to Focus Taiwan, the remains included the body of a 17-year-old girl, identified by her surname, Pan, along with the fingertips of another individual who has not yet been identified. The missing individuals are believed to include a 33-year-old man, surnamed Lee, thought to be the driver, his 37-year-old wife, surnamed Wu, their three-year-old son, and their infant daughter, based on preliminary police investigations.

The Kaohsiung City Police Department’s Liouguei Precinct received a report of the incident from another driver at the 81.1-kilometer mark of the Southern Cross-Island Highway at approximately 9:40 p.m. on Wednesday. Initially, the wreckage and victims were not located. However, the following day, rescuers descended 150 to 170 meters down the side of the washed-out road and discovered the remains, as stated by the fire bureau.

Police suspect that Lee might have overlooked the washed-out road while driving through heavy rain at night, which potentially led to the accident. The exact cause of the incident is still under investigation.