A marine crane on a barge passing under the Geoga Bridge in Geoje-si, Gyeongnam, collided with the upper part of the bridge pier. [Photo by Changwon Maritime Police Station]
A marine crane loaded on a barge passing through the Geoga Bridge in Geoje-si, Gyeongnam, collided with the bridge deck.
According to Changwon Coast Guard Station, a report was received around 10:30 a.m. on the 8th that a marine crane loaded on a barge in the sea near Jangmok-myeon, Geoje-si, had collided with the Geoga Bridge.
The vessel had departed from Seongpo Port in Geoje-si and was heading to Gwangyang Port in Jeonnam. While attempting to pass under the Geoga Bridge, the upper part of the approximately 60-meter-high marine crane on the vessel collided with the deck of the 8th pier of the 3rd main tower of the Geoga Bridge.
Upon receiving the report, the Changwon Coast Guard dispatched patrol vessels and coastal rescue boats from Sinhang and Gohyeon police substations to manage the safety of vehicles crossing the Geoga Bridge and ships passing through the accident area.
Due to the accident, the cable protection structure connecting the bridge deck and the main tower of the Geoga Bridge was damaged, and some of the paint on the outer steel structure of the deck was peeled off. However, all four crew members on board the vessel were safe, and there were no casualties.
Although some structures were damaged, no defects were found, so vehicle traffic on the Geoga Bridge was not restricted.
The Geoga Bridge operating company plans to take measures to prevent water from entering the cable protection structure and will restore it as soon as the Lunar New Year holiday ends.
The Changwon Coast Guard is reviewing closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage around the accident site and investigating the exact circumstances of the accident by interviewing witnesses and related personnel.
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