4 missing after vessel hit bridge in China's Guangdong

GUANGZHOU, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Four people were missing after a vessel collided with a bridge in Foshan City, south China's Guangdong Province, on Monday night, according to the city's emergency management department.

The ship, with 11 crew members onboard, collided with a pier of the Jiujiang Bridge and sank later. Seven of them were rescued and four remain missing, according to the department.

As of 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, more than 300 police officers and maritime rescuers had been dispatched to search for the missing persons.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Experts quickly conducted a preliminary assessment of the bridge and found no obvious damage to the main structure. However, there were scratches on the bridge's pier, requiring further assessment of the bridge's safety.

Currently, traffic control has been implemented in the nearby water areas.