Another Accident Just 15 Days After 16 Injured: Woman in Her 70s Dies on Hadong Rail Bike

Chain Collision Earlier This Month
Rail Bike Operations Suspended After Consecutive Accidents
Police Review Possible Application of Serious Accidents Punishment Act

It was belatedly revealed that a passenger died in a collision accident at “Hadong Rail Bike,” a signature tourist attraction in Hadong-gun, South Gyeongsang Province. The controversy over inadequate safety management is growing, as this fatality follows a chain collision earlier this month on the same section that injured 16 people.

Hadong Rail Bike. Hadong Rail Bike Homepage

According to Yonhap News and other sources on May 21, at around 12:03 p.m. on May 17, a four-seater rail bike collided with a towing vehicle ahead of it on the dedicated track for Hadong Rail Bike in Bukcheon-myeon, Hadong-gun, South Gyeongsang Province. A woman in her 70s, referred to as Ms. A, sustained serious injuries in the accident and was taken to the hospital for treatment, but ultimately passed away the following day.

At the time, there were a total of four people aboard the rail bike, including Ms. A. The remaining three passengers also sustained injuries and are receiving hospital treatment, but their lives are not in danger. A police investigation revealed that Ms. A’s group consisted of acquaintances who had come to Hadong from another region for sightseeing.

The accident occurred in the final section, which includes a downhill slope, according to the investigation.

This is the second safety incident at this rail bike facility this month. Previously, on May 2, another accident occurred in the same section. At that time, a passenger suddenly stopped their rail bike to retrieve a fallen hat, causing several following rail bikes and a tourist landscape train to collide in succession, resulting in injuries to 16 people.

After these consecutive accidents, on May 18, Hadong-gun issued corrective orders to the company entrusted with the rail bike’s operation and suspended all rail bike operations. Additionally, a joint inspection with the National Forensic Service is scheduled for May 27 to investigate the cause of the accident, including whether there were any malfunctions in the braking system. Key issues are expected to include whether speed control on the downhill section was properly managed, and whether adequate safe distances between vehicles and emergency response systems were in place.

Police are investigating the circumstances of the accident and considering whether to charge the operating company’s officials with occupational negligence resulting in death. In addition, they are examining the possibility of applying the Serious Accidents Punishment Act for public disasters, as well as reviewing the overall safety management system of the facility.

Hadong Rail Bike is a tourist attraction utilizing the discontinued Gyeongjeon Line railway, operating a 5.3-kilometer section between Bukcheon Station and Yangbo Station. It opened in 2017 and has been operated through private consignment since 2023.

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