Steel cable snap causes bridge collapse in Northwest China: dozens dead and missing

23 August 2025 , 20:12

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Steel cable snap causes bridge collapse in Northwest China: dozens dead and missing

The collapse of an under-construction railway bridge over a major river in China has resulted in the death of at least 12 workers and left four others missing, according to state media reports.

Aerial photos from the official Xinhua News Agency show a large section missing from the bridge’s curved aquamarine arch.

A bent section of the bridge deck hangs downward into the Yellow River below.

Sixteen workers were on the bridge in Qinghai province, located in northwest China, when a steel cable snapped around 3 a.m. Friday during a tensioning operation, as reported by Xinhua. Boats, a helicopter, and robots were being deployed in the search for the missing.

The bridge spans 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) in length, with its deck positioned 55 meters (180 feet) above the surface of the river below, as stated by the English-language China Daily newspaper.

David Wilson