An unsafe pedestrian bridge collapsed in Muravinaya Bay in the Artemovsky district of Primorye, where children had been jumping into the sea. According to preliminary information, four people were injured, including three minors. The district head, Vyacheslav Kvon, reported this.
The incident occurred on July 13 at about 3:00 p.m. local time (8:00 a.m. Moscow time). Witnesses said children were jumping from the bridge when it gave way, and a boy was the last to jump into the water. They said about 20 people were on the structure, while others were underneath it.
After the collapse, bystanders nearby went into the sea to help those injured. It is known that one boy had a finger torn off, while another girl swallowed water.
According to the mayor of Artyom, the bridge had long been in unsafe condition and was on the books of a private company that owns a former sanatorium. Last year, the company repaired one section of the structure, but did not manage to restore the part extending over the sea. Access to the bridge had been blocked.
“But the children broke it and ran to jump into the water. Vacationers were generally told that it was a dangerous site, but nobody took it seriously,” witnesses said, as quoted by staff at a neighboring recreation center.
Representatives of the neighboring recreation center also said that an additional fence had allegedly been installed that day to fully cut off access to the bridge.
After the incident, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case under the article covering work that does not meet safety requirements. Investigators are questioning witnesses and establishing the exact number of those injured.