CELEBRATION RUINED

Terrifying Moment Bridge Collapses on Opening Day

Fifty people were on the bridge when a rope snapped.

Several people were injured when a suspension bridge collapsed just after its inauguration ceremony, plunging villagers and officials into the river below. Dozens of locals were crossing the newly opened Pongpet Suspension Bridge in Pangandaran Regency, West Java, Indonesia, when a rope suddenly snapped, causing the bridge to tilt. Video shows several onlookers screaming as people clung to the 196-foot-long structure, which was built about 10 feet above the water. The bridge’s main structure remained intact, according to the Indonesian Army. No fatalities were reported, but several people suffered minor injuries and abrasions. Army officials said that locals were so excited about the new bridge, which was built to improve connectivity for Margacinta Village locals, that they ignored warnings about its capacity. The bridge was closed for urgent repairs while officials investigate its strength and integrity.