The accident killed two people and injured one.
A horrific accident unfolded in Guangzhou Thursday morning, as a cargo ship rammed into a bridge, sending five vehicles, including a public bus, plummeting into the Pearl River. Tragically, two lives were lost, one person was injured, and three remain missing, according to the South China Morning Post.
Dramatic images broadcast by CCTV captured the devastation, showcasing a fractured section of the bridge with the ship lodged beneath it. The vessel, fortunately, was empty of cargo at the time of the impact. The details surrounding the cause of the incident remain unclear. The accident occurred at approximately 5:30 AM local time, disrupting the morning commute and sending shockwaves through the city, according to the newsportal.
Rescue efforts are currently underway, with authorities desperately searching for the missing individuals. The bridge, reportedly due for upgrades, had seen its improvement plans postponed on three separate occasions, raising questions about potential infrastructure concerns contributing to the tragedy.
The captain of the cargo ship, which was on its way to Nansha from Foshan's Nanhai district, has been arrested, according to a Beijing News report that cited a local national legislature representative.
Work to strengthen the bridge, which connects Guangzhou to other Greater Bay Area (GBA) cities like Zhongshan and Shenzhen, began in 2022 because of safety concerns. But the city's transport department reported repeated delays, extending the completion date for the anti-collision and strengthening works from August 2022 to the same month this year.
Nansha, at the southern tip of the city in Guangdong province, is seen as a key zone for technological development in the GBA, the government scheme to integrate 11 southern Chinese cities into an economic powerhouse.