At least two people died and three remain missing after a collision on Thursday in China between a cargo ship and a road bridge, which caused a section of it to collapse, authorities announced.
An empty container ship was traveling between Foshan and Guangzhou, provincial capital of Guangdong (south) when it hit the bridge around 5:30 a.m., Guangzhou's maritime affairs bureau said.
The ship
“hit a pillar of the Lixinsha Bridge”
causing
“the rupture of the deck”
of the structure and the fall of five vehicles, either in the water or on the boat below, he said in a press release. .
Three people missing
According to the latest report provided by the office,
“two people were rescued, two died, one crew member was slightly injured and three people are still missing”
.
Images broadcast by public television CCTV show rescuers in orange overalls crossing a waterway in an inflatable boat towards the damaged bridge.
Guangzhou's maritime affairs bureau said the causes of the accident were
"under investigation"
and rescue operations were continuing.
According to CCTV, dozens of rescuers were dispatched to the scene, including some who came as reinforcements from the neighboring metropolis of Shenzhen.