This footage shows 18 people struggling in a river after the pontoon bridge they were using to cross it overturned.

Pontoon bridges, also known as floating bridges, float on the water using floats. They are typically designed to be used by pedestrians.

The incident took place in the city of Guilin, which is located in southern China’s Guangxi Province, on Sunday, 23rd January.

The incident was caught on camera by numerous eyewitnesses.

It is currently unclear what caused the bridge to roll over, but a reported 18 people fell into the water and can be seen struggling in the footage and clinging onto the bridge for dear life.

Another piece of footage shows people clinging to the bridge, which by this point has almost completely overturned, and people can be heard shouting to them from the shore.

A third piece of footage shows some of the people sitting on the overturned bridge and waiting to be rescued.

They can eventually be seen making their way towards the end of the bridge, which appears to be just a few feet from the shoreline.

The final piece of footage shows police officers wearing orange life jackets spurring into action as police car sirens can be heard blaring in the background.

All 18 people were reportedly rescued and all are believed to be safe and sound and without having sustained any significant injuries.

The authorities are currently investigating what caused the bridge to overturn.