Samdingkha Bridge Collapse 4 July, 2011 - Four days after the Samdingkha bridge in Punakha collapsed, police, army personnel and construction workers continue their search for the two workers who went missing after they fell into the river.
An 18-year-old JCB backhoe loader operator’s assistant and a 22-year-old road roller operator went missing since July 1 after the JCB backhoe they were in, to launch the bridge’s metal sheet, fell into the Samdingkhachu and Punatsangchu.
Six workers were inside the JCB backhoe loader at the time of the incident.
While two workers, a 22-year-old excavator operator and 26-year-old site in-charge escaped with minor injuries, the body of a 21-year-old site supervisor was fished out a few hours after the bridge collapsed.
The body of the 19-year-old tractor driver was found at a shallow riverbank, 2km away from the accident site on the morning of July 2.
Police in Punakha said the swollen river must have washed away the bodies of the two missing workers.
“We have already informed police in Wangduephodrang check post and Punatsangchu officials to look for the bodies,” an official said.
The construction of the 60m double-decked reinforced bailey bridge began seven months ago.
It gave way when the backhoe loader, laying metal sheets on the bridge, reached midway.
By Tashi Dema
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