Four seafarers went missing after an unidentified vessel hit the anti-collision pier of the Jiujiang Bridge in Foshan, Guangdong province, China, and sank.
One report said that the vessel could have been the 96-metre-long Xin Rong Hai 1 (MMSI 413692780), although this had not yet been confirmed, but which was in the area of the accident at the time, heading from Luoyuan to Jiujang, ETA April 23rd. As of April 24th the vessel had not yet arrived. The accident occurred on Monday April 22nd at about 21:20 local time. The vessel was carrying 4,907 tonnes of coil steel, sailing from Heshan to Fujian province with 11 sailors on board. The Foshan Nanhai District Maritime Safety Bureau said that the vessel sank at around 23:40.
Seven crew members were rescued by nearby ships, three of then straight away and four more early on Tuesday morning. A search was continuing for the remaining four – the pilot, the first mate, a chef, and a sailor.
More than 300 police officers and rescue staff were reported to have been mobilized to search for the missing seafarers.
Continuous rain for several days had raised the river’s water level, and currents were fast at the time of the incident. The specific cause 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 from 06:00 on Tuesday April 23rd. Navigation control was also in place for ships entering the water area anywhere between 3km upstream and downstream of the Jiujiang Bridge. A detour was advised for all passing ships and vehicles.
The affected bridge across the Xijiang River was put into operation in 1988. At 1,682 metres long, the bridge was the first large-span single-tower double-sided prestressed concrete cable-stayed bridge in the Asia-Pacific.
