A day of celebration turned terrifying as emotional Indonesian locals and officials jumped into the river when the suspension bridge beneath them suddenly collapsed. Crowds of locals watched the opening ceremony of the newly opened Pongpet Suspension Bridge in Pangandaran Regency, West Java, on August 30. As dozens of villagers crossed the wooden bridge, which stretched 196 feet long and hung 10 feet from the river, a rope suddenly broke and collapsed under the weight of the celebrants. Several onlookers were heard screaming while villagers were reportedly seen clinging to the collapsing structure to escape sinking into the river. The Indonesian military reported no fatalities, but several locals suffered minor injuries and abrasions from the horrific incident, including Pangandaran Regent Citra Pitriyami and Public Works Department head Ling Ling Nugraha Senjaya. Crowds of locals watched the groundbreaking ceremony that kicked off the newly opened Pongpet Suspension Bridge in Pangandaran Regency, West Java, on August 30. Jam Press The bridge, built to improve connectivity for locals in Margacinta Village, had become overloaded, causing one of its load-bearing structures to suddenly break, according to the army information service. “The incident occurred after more than 50 people crossed simultaneously, exceeding the specified capacity, such that the sling on the left side of the bridge became loose from the main fastener and caused the bridge to tilt,” a spokesperson said. “The main structure of the bridge remains in place, while the problem part is the sling on the left side, which has become loose from the main fastening system.” A day of celebration turned terrifying as emotional Indonesian locals and officials jumped into the river when the suspension bridge beneath them suddenly collapsed. Jam Press “The incident occurred after more than 50 people crossed simultaneously, exceeding the specified capacity, such that the sling rope on the left side of the bridge became loose from the main fastener and caused the bridge to tilt.” Jam Press “The main structure of the bridge remains in place, while the part that is experiencing problems is the left-side sling, which has become loose from the main restraint system,” the spokesperson continued. Jam Press Before the inauguration of the new bridge, the Pangandaran Military District Command 0625 had posted warnings about safety regulations on a notice board, which an Indonesian military representative said were ignored amid the enthusiasm of residents. “The enthusiasm of residents after the opening ceremony led to non-compliance with these regulations.” The suspension bridge has been closed for urgent repairs while officials investigate its structural strength and integrity.
