Remains of 2 people found after car drives into ravine in rural Kaohsiung

Kaohsiung, July 31 (CNA) The remains of two people have been found after a car carrying a family of five drove into a ravine in Liouguei, Kaohsiung Wednesday night.

Due to the site being too deep for heavy machinery, rescuers have to dig with shovels or by hand, and the search is paused unless the heavy rain subsides in the afternoon, said Kaohsiung City Government's Fire Bureau at noon on Thursday.

Among the discovered were the body of a 17-year-old girl, surnamed Pan (潘), and the fingertips of another individual who is yet to be identified, said the rescuers.

Those who are unaccounted for are believed to be a 33-year-old man surnamed Lee (李), who is believed to be the vehicle's driver, his 37-year-old wife, surnamed Wu (吳), their three-year-old son and their infant daughter, according to preliminary investigations by the police.

Kaohsiung City Police Department's Liouguei Precinct was notified of the incident by another driver at 81.1 kilometer mark of the Southern Cross-Island Highway around 9:40 p.m. Wednesday.

Though initially failing to locate the wreckage and the victims, rescuers rappelled 150 to 170 meters down the side of the washed-out road and found the remains on Thursday, said the fire bureau.

Lee had likely failed to see the road was washed away while driving in a downpour at night, causing the accident, the police said.

The exact cause remains under investigation.