A BRIDGE TOO FAST: Ship Rams Bay Crossing In 35mph Winds

Brazil’s Rio-Niteroi Bridge was closed in both directions after a massive ship smashed into its side during heavy wind.

The bulk carrier Sao Luiz, which was abandoned in Guanabara Bay, was carried away by wind and crashed into the 8.26-mile-long bridge on 14th November.

The bridge, which 140,000 people cross every day, was closed to traffic in both directions at around 6.25pm and partially reopened after more than three hours.

Footage filmed by motorists on the bridge at the time shows how the 1994-built vessel remained stuck on the side of the concrete structure.

A man driving across the bridge at the time told local media: “A very strong wind started on the bridge… That’s when I saw the ship and I thought it was going to pass straight through.

“The upper part hit the bridge hard. At the time, my phone fell to the floor. The bridge even shook. It shook a lot. My car almost left one lane and went into the other.”

Three tugboats had to be put into action to remove the bulky vessel from the bridge’s side.

As of Monday night (14th November), the bridge was being inspected by engineers, with a view to completely reopening it if no serious structural damage were found.

The bridge’s closure caused huge traffic jams in Rio de Janeiro.

The bridge, which opened in 1974, is the main link between Rio de Janeiro and the populous satellite cities of Niteroi and Sao Goncalo.

It is a popular tourist attraction in its own right for its sweeping views of Guanabara Bay.

Picture shows the Sao Luiz bulk carrier after it hit the Rio-Niteroi Bridge in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Monday, Nov. 14, 2022. The ship had been anchored since 2016, and was carried away by the wind and crashed into the structure of the bridge, the Navy investigates the accident. (CEN)

Windspeeds recorded nearby on the date of the incident topped 35.7 mph.