"Barge Collision Kills 5 and Sends Vehicles Plunging in China Bridge Disaster"

A barge struck the Lixinsha Bridge near Guangzhou, China, causing a section of the bridge to collapse and sending vehicles, including a minibus, scooter, and trucks, plunging into the water, resulting in five deaths and injuries to others. Chinese authorities have detained the vessel’s owner and blamed the disaster on the barge crew's improper operation. The bridge collapse cut off water and access to an island, home to about 8,000 people, with emergency workers involved in the recovery effort. Ongoing work to strengthen the bridge, which began in 2022 over safety concerns, was expected to be finished by August.