Ship crashes into bridge in China, killing at least two

Part of a bridge in southern China's manufacturing hub Guangzhou collapsed after a container ship collided with it, killing at least two people as vehicles plummeted, local authorities said Thursday.

Three people were missing, according to authoritieswhich said an empty container ship had struck one of the supporting columns of the two-lane Lixinsha Bridge, breaking its surface.

The crash occurred around 5:30 a.m. Thursday in Nansha district and the cause is under investigation, the district said in a statement. Photos published by Chinese state media showed a large section missing from the bridge, the main artery crossing the Hongqili Canal between Sanmin Island and the rest of the sprawling megacity. A local official told state media that ferries were available for residents.

Five vehicles fell when the bridge collapsed, two into the water and three onto the container ship, Guangzhou's maritime bureau said in a statement.

Among the vehicles was a bus whose driver was the only person on board, the bus's operator, Guangzhou Bus Group, said in a statement published by state media. It was unclear whether the driver was among the missing or the dead. A photo published in state media showed a bus that appeared to have landed on the ship.

Six divers and a salvage ship were sent to the scene, officials said, according to state media.

According to state broadcaster China Central Television, the transportation department in Guangdong province, whose capital is Guangzhou, agreed in 2021 to implement anti-collision measures on the bridge's support columns. The work was supposed to be completed in 2022 but was postponed to 2023 and then to August 2024, with no reason given for the delay, the broadcaster reported.