A Chinese general cargo ship has become wedged under a Vietnamese bridge after losing power.
The VN Express website said the 12,100-dwt Outrivaling 3 (built 2011) got stuck in the northern city of Hai Phong after its engine failed on Thursday.
The 118-metre vessel struck the underside of the Hoang Van Thu Bridge in the afternoon.
The accident damaged a 10-metre section of the bridge, along with its lighting system.
Nguyen Van Tung, chairman of the Hai Phong People’s Committee, sent police to prevent vehicles from going over the bridge.
Authorities have also deployed various vessels to try to free the Hong Kong-flag Outrivaling 3.
The hope is that tides will lower the water level and help push the ship back out.
Ta Viet Dong, director of the Hai Phong management board of civil construction projects, said the collision did not seriously affect the bridge’s structure, but experts would still be evaluating the impact.
The report said an investigation revealed that the ship’s engine failed as it was trying to dock in Hoang Dieu Port.
High tides then pushed the cargo vessel upstream.
Cargo ship sunk in second bridge bash
The Hoang Van Thu Bridge over the Cam River was opened to traffic in October 2019.
The owner of the vessel is listed as Dalian Longjiang in China.
Meanwhile, a 135-metre cargo ship named Wei Yang 28 was reported to have sunk on Thursday in the Lingjiang river in China.
Maritime Bulletin said the vessel struck a bridge pillar while sailing upstream.
Photos show a heavy list to port, with the vessel partially submerged and resting on the river bed.
