Ship Sinks After Striking Bridge Pier in China

Cargo ship XINCHUAN 8 struck a pier of the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge early Sunday morning, and sank shortly after.

A rescue team from the Nanjing municipal maritime relief center was dispatched to the accident scene. All 18 crewmembers were safely rescued before the vessel sank completely.  It was damaged significantly in the allision before water began to leak in. It sank within an hour of the initial impact, about 3.5 kilometers away from the bridge.

Government officials issued a notice saying the ship had spilled a small amount of fuel oil, but it had already been controlled. Tap water remains normal without any signs of oil pollution, as locals started to worry.

Nanjing maritime authorities plan to salvage the ship. An investigation into the cause of the accident is also underway.

The XINCHUAN 8 is owned by Rushan Xinchuan Shipping and Transportation Co Ltd. and was transporting 12,500 tons of limestone to the coastal Fujian province.