Shanghai's subway operator was quick to post an Internet apology Tuesday after a subway accident that left about 260 people injured.

　　周二，在一次造成约260人受伤的地铁事故发生之后，上海地铁运营商迅速在微博上发布了一则道歉。

　　Then it was just as quick in taking it down.

　　而后，这条致歉微博很快又被撤下。

　　Not long after the midafternoon subway accident in central Shanghai, Shanghai Metro, the operator of Shanghai subway system, issued an apology on Sina Weibo, the popular micro blogging service.

　　周二午后上海地铁发生事故后不久，上海地铁运营商上海申通地铁集团有限公司（Shanghai Metro）在新浪微博上发布了一则致歉的帖子。

　　“Today is the darkest day in the operation of Shanghai subway,” the Weibo posting said. “No matter what the final reason or responsibility, [we] feel extremely ashamed and regretful for the harm and loss created for the city residents. … No matter how much we apologize, it only pales in comparison with the practical damage [the accident caused]. Still, [we] want to issue our deep apology.”

　　新浪微博上的帖子这样写道：今天是上海地铁运营有史以来最黯淡的一天，无论最终原因和责任怎样，给市民乘客造成的伤害和损失尤感愧疚。再多致歉比起实际损害也显苍白，但还是要深深道歉。

　　But the posting was mysteriously deleted shortly afterwards, prompting discussion and anger among Weibo users.

　　但这条致歉微博旋即被神秘地删除。此事在微博用户中引起了讨论和愤怒。

　　Wang Ran, CEO of eCapital, a boutique investment bank, commented, “I was going to praise how the Weibo apology post demonstrates humanity and a [good] sense of crisis management,” but he added, “it's not easy for them to follow the correct track.”

　　小型投行易凯资本有限公司（eCapital）的首席执行长王冉评论道：“我本来还想称赞一下这条道歉微博表现出的人性和危机公关意识，结果……看来一些根本的意识不转变，好容易做对了一次也还得改回去。”

　　Other Weibo users were more cynical. Lawyer Yuan Yulai wrote, “The current [social] system won't allow normal human feelings.” Another lawyer, Cui Xiaoping, said, “The original statement was deleted because it didn't follow the [appropriate] propaganda style.”

　　其他微博用户更加愤世嫉俗。律师袁裕来说：“再次说明：现行体制不允许有人性！”另一位律师崔小平说：“看来是原声明不符合宣传体，因此删除了。”

　　A couple hours later, Shanghai Metro posted a positive-sounding Weibo message. It said operations will resume and further investigation into the cause of the accident will be conducted. Like most other official statements on disasters in China, it emphasizes how the victims helped each other and how the rescue workers and firemen came to the scene quickly. It ends by saying, “we did not do well. Please believe us, we'll definitely do better!”

　　两个小时后，上海地铁又贴出了一条措辞更正面的微博，其中写道：“10号线运营正在逐步恢复，事故原因将进一步调查”。这条微博同中国官方以往就事故或灾害发布的大多数正式声明一样，强调事故受害者如何相互救助，以及救援人员和消防员如何迅速赶到事故现场。这则微博的结尾说道：“我们做的不好，相信我们，一定会做好的！”

　　That posting was met with even more furious comments. Weibo user Zetongzhi sarcastically wrote, “Take back your apology. The subway did no wrong. It was the people [on the subway] who were destined for a bad fate.”

　　这条微博引发了许多更加愤怒的评论。微博用户“则通之”颇具讽刺意味地写道：“收回道歉，地铁没错，是老百姓命不好。”

　　Shawnzuimengxiaoqingxin wrote, “After such a serious accident, the official public transportation system simply wants to gloss it over with pleas for trust and forgiveness. Does it believe that the citizens are its wife? As a monopoly, Shanghai Metro faces no pressure whatsoever.”

　　微博用户“Shawn最萌小清新”写道：“作为官方的公共轨道交通设施，发生那么严重的事故，仅以求相信和求原谅一笔带过。它以为公民都是它老婆吗？还是作为垄断企业，申通表示毫无压力？”

　　Still others tied the accident to widespread public frustration with the July high-speed train crash near southern city Wenzhou that left more than 40 people dead. The official investigation report on that accident has yet to be issued.

　　还有一些人将这起事故和今年7月在温州附近发生的动车追尾事故联系在一起。那起事故导致至少40人死亡，引发公众强烈不满。动车追尾事故的正式调查报告尚未公布。

　　Then, mysteriously, the second apology posting was deleted as well.

　　后来，第二条致歉微博也被神秘地删除了。

　　About five hours after the accident, Shanghai Metro posted that the No.10 line has resumed service. And an hour after that, an apology posting similar to the original version was restored.

　　事故发生后约五小时，上海地铁再发微博说10号线已经恢复运行。之后一小时，上海地铁发出了一条与最早的那条致歉帖措辞相似的微博。

　　It's not clear why the postings were deleted and reposted. But blogger Lengyun wrote, “You can compare the wording of the two postings then you should be able to understand the thinking of the propaganda system.”

　　目前尚不清楚致歉微博先被删除后又被恢复的原因，微博用户“冷云”写道：“有趣，大家可以对比一下两条措辞的不同，应该就能理解体制内宣传思路了。”

　　Others worried how whether Shanghai Metro conducted a thorough inspection of the system, given how quickly service resumed. Blogger Wenyifuxingzhifan said, “we don't need apology. We need safety.”

　　其他人则因为这条线路很快就恢复了运行，而担心上海地铁是否对系统进行了彻底检查。微博用户“文艺复兴之泛”说：“我们不需要道歉，我们需要安全。”