Missile Test at Jiupeng Base Reportedly Goes Out of Control, Falls in Mountainous Area; Residents Alarmed

An early morning missile test at Taiwan's Jiupeng base in Pingtung County took a frightening turn when the projectile reportedly lost control shortly after launch. The incident, which occurred around 6 a.m. on Tuesday, saw the missile deviate dramatically from its intended trajectory towards the sea.

Instead of following its planned course into a designated danger zone offshore, the missile executed a sharp turn inland. Witnesses described seeing a "weird white smoke trail" as the missile veered off course and plummeted into the mountainous terrain. The unexpected trajectory caused significant alarm among residents in nearby villages, who reported hearing a loud noise and then witnessing the missile's erratic flight path.

Local residents expressed anger and fear, noting how close the missile fell to their communities. "If it had veered just a little more, it would have hit the village directly!" one resident exclaimed. While preliminary investigations indicate the missile landed in an uninhabited wilderness area, preventing any injuries or property damage, the incident has left residents shaken and demanding answers.

Calls are mounting for the military and the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), which operates the base, to thoroughly investigate the cause of the malfunction and provide a clear explanation. Residents are concerned that such training exercises should not pose a threat to their safety. Some military enthusiasts, however, speculated that the trajectory might have belonged to a target drone rather than a missile, expressing relief that it did not fall into a populated area.