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Six people may be trapped in Taiwan bridge collapse

01 October 2019 10:36 (UTC +04:00)

The bridge collapsed onto a row of fishing vessels in Taiwan’s Yilan County when a gas tanker truck drove onto it, according to the Taiwan Central Information Agency, APA reports citing Sputnik.

According to the patrol service's video surveillance records, at that time, a gas tanker truck was driving along the bridge, which collapsed and fell into the waterway below. There were fishing boats under the bridge, and many motorists plummeted into the water.

"As of 1:00 pm (0500 GMT), 10 people and two coastguard personnel were injured and there could be six more people who are still trapped in fishing boats. The rescue operation is ongoing," the Taiwan Central Information Agency said in a statement.

The cause of the collapse is being investigated.

"Saving life is priority," Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang said in a Facebook post. "I will ask related authorities to make all effort for the rescue."

The steel bridge, which is 140 metres long and 15 metres wide, was built in the late 1990s in the fishing port of Nanfangao.

The Nanfangao Viaduct was the first bifurcated single-arch bridge in Asia.