The probe into last week’s coach fire which killed 26 people – including 24 Chinese tourists – took an abrupt turn on Friday when prosecutors announced that the driver was driving under the influence of alcohol and could have drunken alcohol to commit suicide.

“Tests of the blood, urine and stomach residue of driver Su Ming-cheng showed that his blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 1.075 mg per liter, which shows he was drunk-driving,” Wang Yi-wen, from the Taoyuan Prosecutors Office, told reporters.

Taiwan’s highest legal level for BAC is 0.15 mg per liter.

The probe points to Su probably planning his suicide by getting drunk and dying with the tourists in a road accident, press reports said.

Prosecutors have found other suspicious points in their investigation – the exit of the coach was blocked by an iron bar, trapping everyone inside the burning coach, traces of petrol were found in the luggage hold and near the driver’s seat, suggesting bottles of petrol were brought onto the coach.

The incident occurred on 19 July when Su was driving the coach – carrying 24 tourists from Dalian, China, and a Taiwanese tour guide – to Taoyuan International Airport where the tourists were due to catch a flight to return home.

About three kilometers from the airport, the coach caught fire, but chugged along the highway for another 1.3 kilometers before hitting a railing and stopping.

As the fire quickly engulfed the coach, the Chinese tourists rushed to the back of the vehicle, trying to push open the exit.

But the exit opened only 10 centimeters as it was blocked by an iron bar, and everyone inside was burnt beyond recognition in less than 20 minutes.

Forensic experts had to use the victims’ DNA samples to identify them.

The experts said that when the coach crashed into the railing and stopped, driver Su was already slumped over the wheel, dead.

China has criticized Taiwan for lax road safety and demanded participation in the coach fire investigation, but Taipei rejected the request. EFE

Taipei, Jul 29 (EFE)