Cause of Tongyeong Monorail Derailment Injuring 8 People: 'Bearing Wear'

On the afternoon of November 28 last year, a derailment accident occurred at the Yokji Island Monorail station in Donghang-ri, Yokji-myeon, Tongyeong City, seriously injuring eight people aged between 50 and 70 with fractures and other injuries.
/Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Fire Department

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Ju Cheol-in] The cause of the derailment accident of the Tongyeong Yokjido Monorail, which injured 8 tourists, has been investigated to be a mechanical defect.

According to the Tongyeong Police Station on the 24th, the National Forensic Service recently notified the police of the results of such an inspection.

The National Forensic Service confirmed that some of the bearings (steel balls), internal components of the gear connecting the lower part of the monorail vehicle and the rail, were worn out.

It is presumed that due to the bearing wear, the vehicle and the rail did not mesh properly, causing friction. As a result, instead of decelerating on the downhill section before entering the lower station, the vehicle accelerated and eventually derailed.

A police official explained, "The National Forensic Service's appraisal showed that there was a problem with some of the bearings. The monorail body and the gear (cogwheel) installed on the rail move by meshing together, but severe bearing wear caused play, which affected the gears and is presumed to have caused the derailment by exceeding the regulated speed, according to the National Forensic Service's judgment."

With the release of the National Forensic Service's inspection results, the previously sluggish police investigation is expected to gain momentum.

An investigation official said, "We are continuously investigating by summoning related personnel," and added, "The focus is on clarifying whether it was a design error, construction issue, or management negligence."

The police plan to identify the cause and responsibility of the accident from multiple angles, including design errors and management negligence, based on the National Forensic Service's inspection results.

At 2:01 PM on November 28th last year, the Tongyeong Yokjido Monorail derailed and fell about 4 to 5 meters down. As a result of this accident, 8 tourists in their 50s to 70s were injured with fractures and other injuries and were transported for treatment.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.