February 23, 2024
BEIJING – Five people died after a container vessel struck a bridge in the Nansha district of Guangzhou, Guangdong province, on Thursday, resulting in the collapse of part of the bridge deck, according to the local maritime authority.
Rescue operations are in progress following the accident, the Guangzhou Maritime Safety Administration said, adding that it has dispatched six divers and several salvage vessels to the site to aid in the rescue efforts.
The accident took place at around 5:30 am when an unloaded container vessel, from Nanhai district in Foshan city was headed to Nansha, located at the mouth of the Pearl River, collided with a pier of the Lixinsha Bridge while sailing through the Hongqili Waterway, causing the bridge deck to break.
The Guangzhou Maritime Safety Administration said two vehicles plunged into the river and three others fell onto the container vessel. A crew member was slightly injured.
After being reported, relevant departments and professional rescuers rushed to the scene to fully carry out emergency rescue work and direct local traffic.
Temporary traffic control has been implemented on the navigation section and road surface of Lixinsha Bridge, while the passing ships and vehicles have been required to make a detour.