Container ship collision causes bridge collapse and bus to plunge into water in Guangzhou, killing two

A container ship collided with a bridge pier while passing through a waterway in Guangzhou in South China's Guangdong Province on Thursday morning, causing the bridge deck to break and a bus to fall into the water. Two people have been killed so far, and three remain missing.

The container ship sailed empty from Foshan to Guangzhou, passing through Guangzhou's Lixinsha Bridge. Local media quoted authorities as saying that only a bus was on the bridge when the accident occurred.

As of now, two people have been rescued, two people have died, one crew member has suffered minor injuries, and three people are missing. The cause of the accident is under investigation, and rescue efforts are being carried out in an orderly manner. Five vehicles involved in the accident, including one electric motorcycle. Two vehicles fell into the water, while the other three fell onto the boat.

Local officials told media that nearby surrounding residents have been evacuated, and the vessel owner involved has been brought under control by officials.

Lixinsha Bridge is the main transportation route for residents of Sanmin Island. After the incident, traffic control measures have been implemented on the bridge. Zhong Weihong, the village Party secretary of Minjian village on the island, told reporters that there is still a ferry available for residents to travel. Currently, the cause of the accident and the extent of casualties are being investigated.

On July 26, 2019, serious damages occurred to the bridge box girder of the Lixinsha Bridge. In order to ensure the safety of the bridge, the Nansha District Transportation Bureau of Guangzhou implemented a measure to restrict vehicles with a total weight of 15 tons or more from passing through the bridge in July, 2019, according to local media.

In July, 2020, local officials lifted the traffic restrictions on the Lixinsha Bridge. The notice stated that the Lixinsha Bridge has completed repair and reinforcement work. Authorities claimed that the bridge was in good technical condition, and the weight limit for vehicles passing through the Lixinsha Bridge has been increased to 20 tons.