A drifting boat collided with the bridge connecting Rio de Janeiro with the nearby city of Niteroi on Monday. “The Rio-Niteroi bridge has been closed in both directions due to the collision of a drifting boat with the bridge,” Rio’s Federal Traffic Police (PRF) said.
A video filmed by the occupant of a car while crossing the bridge, reported by local media, shows one of the ship’s towers extremely close and a noise that would correspond to the moment of the collision.
“Extreme weather conditions”
The bridge concessionaire “is checking the impact of the crash on the structure. The first impression is that it did not have more serious consequences, but we will only restart traffic when we are sure,” Rio’s mayor told local press. Eduardo Paes.
The navy said in a statement that the ship’s moorings were released “due to extreme weather conditions” on Monday afternoon and that it would be towed to the port of Rio.
The vessel, which belongs to the Navegaçao Mansur company, is “the subject of legal proceedings” and has been anchored in Guanabara Bay since 2016 “without posing any risk to navigation,” added the Navy, which will investigate the incident. according to the newspaper The balloonthe ship is 200 meters long and 30 meters wide.
The Presidente Costa e Silva Bridge, commonly known as the “Rio-Niteroi Bridge”, is an important crossing point in the region, as it connects the two cities across the bay.
Source: BFM TV
