Truck owner behind Taiwan railway crash apologises, death toll revised down to 48

The owner of a truck that caused Taiwan’s worst rail accident in decades, killing 48 people, has apologised in tears while being led away from his home by police.

The unoccupied truck’s emergency brake was not properly engaged, according to the government’s disaster relief centre. 

An investigation is underway as to how Lee Yi-Hsiang’s vehicle slid down onto the tracks on Friday from a nearby construction site on the mountainous coast of eastern Hualien county.

The truck was hit by a passenger train carrying 494 people, which derailed just before entering a…