Phong Chau Bridge Collapse: 1 Missing Person and 1 Tractor Trailer Found Without Driver

The Phong Chau bridge collapse continues to have new developments. Authorities have just found a tractor-trailer with license plate 19R 011.xx stuck in the bridge span, but no one was found inside.

Recently, a representative of Phu Tho Provincial Police said that this morning (September 15), the authorities are still urgently searching for and rescuing missing people in the collapse of Phong Chau bridge over Thao river (main branch of Red river) connecting Tam Nong and Lam Thao districts, Phu Tho province.

Accordingly, the rescue team approached the area about 100m from the collapsed Phong Chau bridge, in zone 23 of Van Xuan commune, Tam Nong district. This is where the tractor-trailer with license plate 19R 011.xx was found stuck. Phu Tho Provincial Police informed that up to this point, the authorities have not found anyone in the cabin of the tractor-trailer.

Currently, the authorities are still mobilizing maximum forces, means, and equipment to deploy plans to search for missing people and salvage damaged vehicles with the highest sense of urgency and determination, to soon ease some of the pain for the families of the victims of the bridge collapse.

On the same day, the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Department - Phu Tho Provincial Police mobilized 30 more officers and soldiers equipped with specialized diving equipment to approach the scene, continue to coordinate with functional forces, overcome all difficulties in organizing rescue.

Earlier on the afternoon of September 14, on the Red River, passing through Vinh Lai Commune, Lam Thao District, Phu Tho Province, about 10 km downstream from Phong Chau Bridge, people discovered the body of a woman. Immediately afterwards, the government and other relevant agencies were present to verify, and many people also came to the scene to ask for identification.

The Chairman of Vinh Lai Commune People's Committee said that through the initial examination, details such as scars, clothes and identifying features provided by the victim's family, determined that the victim found was Ms. Nguyen Thi H. (48 years old, residing in Thach Dong commune).

That same night, the family requested to complete the procedures to receive Mrs. H's body to bury it according to custom. It is known that at the time of the Phong Chau bridge collapse, Mrs. H. was riding a motorbike with license plate 19L-107.xx with her husband, Mr. T. (56 years old).

As reported by Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper, the Phong Chau bridge collapse occurred at around 10am on September 9. At the time of the incident, there were 10 vehicles moving on the bridge (including 1 truck, 2 tractor-trailers, 6 motorbikes, 1 electric motorbike); 8 people are missing; 3 injured people have been rescued.

Specifically, the identities of the missing victims have been determined to be 8 people: Nguyen Thi L., born in 2005, residing in Zone 18, Van Xuan, Tam Nong and Nguyen Ha C., born in 2005, Dak Nong (traveling together on a motorbike);

Duong Cong C., born in 1981, Dan Quyen, Tam Nong (driving tractor-trailer, license plate 19H-042.xx); Ha Quoc C., born in 1986, zone 5, Chu Hoa, Viet Tri (driving tractor-trailer 19H-024.xx);

Luong Xuan T., born in 1968 and Nguyen Thi H., born in 1976, both living in Zone 1, Thach Dong, Thanh Thuy (shared motorbike 19L1-107.xx); Nguyen Thi Bich H., born in 1988, No Luc, Thuy Van, Viet Tri (motorbike 19N1-310.xx); Nguyen Thi Y., born in 1979, Zone 17, Son Vi, Lam Thao (motorbike 19S1-086.xx).

The preliminary list of Tam Nong District People's Committee also added that there were 3 victims injured in the Phong Chau bridge collapse on September 9, including: Bui Quy Trong, born in 1991 and Nguyen Minh Hai, born in 1994, both residing in Zone 10, Van Xuan, Tam Nong (traveling together on motorbike 19H4-08xx); Phan Truong Son, born in 1984, Zone 10, Huong Non, Tam Nong (motorbike 19V1-41xx).

According to Phu Tho's report, the cause of the Phong Chau bridge collapse was due to the impact of storm No. 3, the flood water on Thao River (Red River) rose very high, flowing rapidly, leading to the washing away of pillar T7 and 2 main spans (spans 6 and 7 on the right bank of Thao River, in Tam Nong district).

Close-up of the longest river bridge in Vietnam, the pride of its 5.5km length T.P14:16:00 25/12/2024Vinh Thinh Bridge, part of the V Ring Road - Hanoi City, was started in December 2011 and inaugurated in June 2014. Vinh Thinh Bridge crosses the Red River, connecting Son Tay town (Hanoi) and Vinh Tuong district (Vinh Phuc).