A portion of a bridge in the southern Chinese industrial centre of Guangzhou fell after a barge crashed into it, killing five people.
The New York Times revealed that local officials stated several vehicles, including a bus and electric motorbike, dropped from the bridge as a result of the collision.
All traffic on the bridge was halted while more than 100 emergency staff, including six divers, and around 15 boats and salvage vessels tried to recover the vehicles.
According to Reuters, the ship was heading from Foshan to the southern district of Guangzhou when it collided with the bridge on the Hongqili Waterway.
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The vehicles and three bodies were rescued from the sea, according to reports.
China Central Television (CCTV) said that “the accident resulted in five deaths (one bus driver, one motorcycle driver and three people in a van). Two people were treated in the hospital and their vital signs are now stable; one crew member of the ship involved in the accident suffered minor injuries.”
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Yin Qiang, Deputy Head of the Maritime Safety Administration of Guangzhou, commented: “The Maritime Safety Administration of Guangzhou has established a specialised investigation team to conduct an investigation and evidence collection of the accident.
“The maritime department, in cooperation with the public security authorities, has apprehended the person responsible for the accident.”
In October 2023, a British cargo ship reportedly sunk following a collision with a Bahamas-flagged vessel, resulting in several crew members being unaccounted for.
