12 dead, 4 missing after bridge cable snaps in China's Qinghai

The accident occurred when a steel cable snapped during construction work on the Jianzha Yellow River Bridge

A deadly cable failure during the construction of a bridge on China's Sichuan-Qinghai Railway has resulted in 12 fatalities and four missing workers, prompting ongoing rescue operations in Qinghai Province.

The incident occurred 3am on Aug 22 when a steel cable snapped on the Jianzha Yellow River Bridge, a steel truss arch structure under construction over the Yellow River, Chinese news agency Xinhua reports.

Sixteen workers were on site when the accident occurred. Four deaths were initially reported, but the toll rose as more bodies were recovered. The bridge’s main span had been due to close by the end of August, showing how close the project was to completion before the tragedy struck.