Crew misoperation causes ship-bridge collision in south China: preliminary investigation

GUANGZHOU, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- A preliminary investigation has identified crew misoperation as the cause of a ship-bridge collision on Thursday morning that caused a fracture in a bridge and resulted in five deaths in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, according to a press release.

Due to misoperation by the crew, at around 5:30 a.m., a container ship's hull first hit pier No. 18 of the Lixinsha Bridge in Nansha District, and consequently, the ship's bow hit pier No. 19, resulting in a crack in a part of the bridge, said Yin Qiang, deputy head of the Maritime Safety Administration of Guangzhou.

The seriously inclined pier No. 19 and relevant structures with risk of instability will be dismantled to eliminate potential safety hazards, said Zou Xiaojiang, chief engineer of the transport bureau of Guangzhou.

Ferries and buses have been arranged to support the travel and transport of some 9,100 people on an island connected by the bridge.

Water and food have been provided for them and the broken water supply pipeline is being repaired, according to the press briefing.