A large Russian cargo vessel unexpectedly rammed into a bridge in South Korea after it had veered way off course. The vessel, a 5,998-ton Seagrand cargo ship, hit the Gwangan Bridge along the southeastern coast of South Korea. Authorities have revealed that the captain of the cargo vessel who was onboard the ship when the incident happened was heavily intoxicated.
A short two-minute video was also uploaded on social media clearly showing how the ship was being steered directly onto the bridge. A crewmember was also seen running for his life after one of the ship's cranes was sheared off and fell after hitting the bridge. After the collision, the ship immediately turned back and headed in the opposite direction.
According to the Korea Coast Guard (KCG), the ship had caused some substantial damage to the lower part of the bi-level bridge. Fortunately, there were no fatalities or injuries that were reported. Due to the crash, the entire lower level of the bridge had to be closed to all traffic as a precaution. Inspectors are reportedly already on the scene to determine if the damage is structural and if there is a need for repairs for it to be safe for vehicles to use.
Shortly after the crash, the KCG immediately chased after the vessel and brought in its crew for questioning. Authorities immediately noticed that the Russian captain of the vessel was heavily intoxicated, prompting them to have his blood alcohol level checked. After the test, it was later found out that the captain had a blood alcohol content of around 0.086 percent, which is significantly higher than the 0.03 percent legal limit.
While it is technically not illegal to consume alcohol aboard a vessel, it is illegal if you are the one steering it. The KCG is still trying to investigate whether or not the captain was at the helm when the crash happened. The investigation will also attempt to find out why the ship was heading to the bridge in the first place when it should have been heading in the opposite direction.
The Seagrand arrived in South Korea a day before the crash and unloaded around 1,500 tons of iron pipes. Its next destination was supposed to be a port in Vladivostok in Russia, where it will drop another 1,500 tons of steel coils. Upon further investigation, it was later found out that the Seagrand had actually hit another vessel, a cruise ship, which was anchored at the same port it had docked. The Seagrand apparently hit the cruise ship 40 minutes before it crashed into the bridge.
