At least five people were killed and at least three others injured after a shipping vessel collided with a bridge in southern China early Thursday, destroying part of the road and sending vehicles into the water.
The vessel hit Lixinsha Bridge about 5:30 a.m., according to authorities, who said that the incident was caused by "improper operation by the crew." Chinese media said the ship owner has since been detained.
An electric motorbike, three small trucks and a bus fell off the bridge. The drivers of the bus and the motorbike, as well as three people who were in the trucks, died, city officials said at a news conference.
When the ship hit the bridge, it was traveling from Foshan to Guangzhou, according to the Guangzhou Maritime Safety Administration.
The collapse of the bridge, which crosses Hongqili waterway, cut off the water supply and vehicle access to an island housing some 8,000 people, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
Temporary water lines have been provided, and a ferry service is active to allow residents of the island to cross the waterway.
Officials said that the bridge had been reinforced in 2022, including with collision guards around the pillars. Some reports said bridge work had been delayed, but The Associated Press reported that officials said the delays didn't affect the span.
Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.