Coins issued to honor rescuers raise doubts

District officials defend awards handed out in August ceremony

SHANGHAI - A local government in East China is defending coins that were issued in honor of those who helped passengers injured in the deadly high-speed train crash in Wenzhou this year.

The coins, which were issued by Wenzhou's Lucheng district, were handed out in an August meeting to volunteers, villagers and local residents who tried to rescue passengers aboard the two bullet trains that crashed in the Zhejiang province city in July, killing 40 people and injuring 177 others.