Hong Kong ship gets stuck under Hai Phong bridge

The Outrivaling 3, spanning over 118 m with full capacity at 12,088 tons, rammed into the Hoang Van Thu Bridge in Hai Phong’s Hong Bang District at around 3:30 p.m.

The collision caused the ship to be stuck in the underside of the bridge and damaged a 10-meter rail section, along with its lighting system.

Nguyen Van Tung, chairman of the Hai Phong People’s Committee, has deployed police forces to prevent vehicles from going through Hoang Van Thu Bridge starting 4 p.m. Thursday.

Authorities have deployed different ships to try getting the Outrivaling 3 out, waiting for the tides to lower and push the ship back into the waters.

Ta Viet Dong, director of the Hai Phong management board of civil construction projects, said the collision didn't affect the bridge's structure much, but experts would still evaluate impacts of the collision.

An investigation revealed that the ship's engine previously died as it was trying to dock Hoang Dieu Port, forcing it to free float on the river. When the tides got high, it was pushed towards the upstream of the Cam River, before ramming into the bridge.

The Hoang Van Thu Bridge over the Cam River was opened to traffic in October 2019.