From 1960 to 2015, there were 35 major bridge collapses worldwide due to ship or barge collision, with a total of 342 people killed, according to a 2018 report from the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure. Eighteen of those collapses happened in the United States.
Here’s a look back at some of the more notable disasters.
The 609-foot freighter Summit Venture was navigating the narrow channel of Florida’s Tampa Bay before it sheared off a support of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
A 426m section of the concrete roadway dropped.
Seven vehicles, including a bus with 26 people aboard, fell 45m into the water, killing 35 people.
In the capital city of Australia’s island state of Tasmania, a bulk carrier travelling up the Derwent River struck several pylons of the Tasman Bridge.
It caused a large section to collapse onto the ship and into the river below.
A barge hit the Interstate 40 bridge over the Arkansas River at Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, collapsing a 152m section of road and plunging vehicles into the water.
Fourteen people died and 11 were injured.
September 15, 2001: Queen Isabella Causeway
A tugboat and barge struck the Queen Isabella Causeway in Port Isabel, Texas, causing a midsection of the bridge to tumble 25m into the bay below.
Eight people died after motorists drove into the hole.