Four people went missing after a still unidentified vessel hit the anti-collision pier of the Jiujiang Bridge in Foshan, Guangdong province, China, and sank.
The accident took place around 9:20 pm local time on Monday. The vessel carrying 4,907 tonnes of coiled steel, sailing from Heshan to Fujian province, had 11 sailors onboard. According to the Foshan Nanhai District Maritime Safety Bureau, the vessel sank a few hours later, around 11:40 pm.
Following the accident, seven crewmembers were rescued by nearby ships. Three were rescued immediately after the accident while another four were saved early on Tuesday morning. Search is ongoing for the remaining four – namely the pilot, the first mate, a chef, and a sailor.
Chinese media reported that as of early Tuesday morning, more than 300 police officers and rescue staff had been dispatched to search for the missing persons.
The safety bureau said the accident occurred due to the improper operation of the crew on board. Due to the continuous rainstorm for several days, the river’s water level was high with fast currents when the accident happened. The specific cause of the incident was still being investigated.
A preliminary assessment of the bridge found no damage to the main structure. However, small damage and scratches on the bridge’s pier will be assessed further to ensure the bridge’s safety. An anti-collision reinforcement project for the bridge has already started.
Traffic control on the bridge was imposed for 24 hours beginning from 6:00 am on Tuesday. Navigation control is also being implemented for ships entering the water area three kilometres upstream and downstream of the Jiujiang Bridge. A detour is advised for all passing ships and vehicles.
The 1.6 km long bridge across the Xijiang River was put into operation in 1988. It was the first large-span single-tower double-sided prestressed concrete cable-stayed bridge in the Asia-Pacific.
Last month, in another incident involving a ship hitting a bridge, the 9,962 teu Dali containership smashed directly into a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsing it in the process.
Earlier in the year, a Chinese container barge rammed into a bridge over the Pearl River in the city of Guangzhou, sending vehicles into the water below with a section of the bridge falling into the river.