Ship Collides with Willemsbrug in Rotterdam, Containers Overboard

This morning in Rotterdam, a container ship collided with the Willemsbrug, leading to several containers plunging into the water. The extent of the damage to both the bridge and the ship remains unclear.

You can watch the video on AD.nl It’s pretty intense!

The incident occurred around 8:45 AM, and eyewitnesses reported to Rijnmond that they heard a massive bang. “I saw the ship just continuing its course. It didn’t even stop. There’s no way the captain didn’t notice—it was such a loud noise, completely abnormal. It was a long, screeching sound,” one witness remarked.

Five containers fell from the ship into the water, drifting towards the Van Brienenoordbrug. “The first ship following behind had to make an emergency stop,” the eyewitness added. “The containers were heading straight for it.” The contents of the containers are still unknown.

According to a spokesperson from the Port of Rotterdam, the ship has since docked. “Four containers have been secured. One container sank but has been located,” the spokesperson explained. “The captain is being interviewed. It’s possible he misjudged the bridge’s height. There is damage to the bridge, but the severity is not yet known.”

This article first seen on nos.nl