On Wednesday, Taiwan conducted a satellite launch vehicle test, which reportedly went out of control due to unknown reasons, failing to follow the scheduled trajectory toward the sea and instead veering inland, crashing into a mountainous area. Nearby residents exclaimed that it was 'terrifying', and local authorities have requested that the testing institute, the Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, conduct an urgent investigation and provide an explanation to the public.
The Chung-Shan Institute's Jiupeng Base in Pingtung began a series of artillery tests starting Wednesday for three consecutive days. However, around 6 a.m. on Wednesday, it was reported that the launch vehicle made a 'sharp turn' after lift-off, went out of control, and crashed into an inland mountain area, sparking panic among local residents.
The Chung-Shan Institute stated that this was a satellite launch vehicle test, and after launch, an abnormality in the initial trajectory occurred, prompting the activation of the self-destruct mechanism to control the fall within a pre-planned safety zone. There were no casualties or property damage, and future designs will be adjusted based on telemetry data.
Eyewitnesses said that at dawn, they saw what looked like a 'missile' launching upward, but the trajectory veered away from the ocean and toward the mountains, eventually crashing there. After a loud bang, the mountain was shrouded in thick smoke. Villagers said the impact site was very close to their settlement; if it had been just a little bit off, it could have hit the village directly.
At the time, witnesses shouted at the top of their lungs: 'Wow, wow, wow, it's over... it's a mistake, a mistake, the village, the village!'; Others recorded the scene after the crash, with thick smoke billowing from the mountainside, exclaiming in unison, 'This is bad,' noting that if it had fallen on the village, casualties could have been unimaginable.