Container Ship Hits Bridge in Guangzhou, Five Lives Lost

A container ship passing through a canal near Guangzhou, China, collided with a bridge for vehicles, causing a portion of the bridge to collapse and resulting in five fatalities.

According to China Central TV (CCTV) and other sources, on the 22nd, at 5:31 AM local time, a part of the two-lane Lishinsha Bridge in Nansha District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, in southern China, was severed when it was hit by the container ship “Lianghui 688” passing underneath.

At the time of the incident, five vehicles were on the bridge, including one bus with no passengers, one truck, two cars, and one electric motorcycle. All fell as the bridge collapsed. The two cars fell into the water, while the other three vehicles landed on the container ship.

Among the people who fell, the bus driver, the motorcycle driver, and three people in the cars died. Two people were injured but are not in life-threatening conditions. One crew member also suffered minor injuries.

The container ship that caused the accident was en route from Nanhaidu, Foshan, Guangdong, to Nansha District, Guangzhou. It was found that the ship hit the Lishinsha Bridge due to the crew’s poor handling while passing through the Huangchili Canal.

The Lishinsha Bridge is a major transportation artery for residents of the nearby Sanmin Island, connecting Zhongshan and Shenzhen. As residents’ complaints about the inconvenience increased, Sanmin authorities announced plans to increase the number of passenger ship operations to minimize residents’ inconvenience.

The ship’s owner is currently in custody for investigation of the incident.