A suspension bridge accident at a scenic spot in Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on the evening of August 6, 2025 left five people dead and 24 others injured. Photo: Screenshot from Sina Weibo

A suspension bridge accident at a scenic spot in Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Wednesday evening caused 29 people to fall from the bridge, leaving five dead and 24 others injured, including two with serious injuries. All injured individuals were promptly rushed to local hospitals for treatment, and none is in life-threatening condition, Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday citing the local authorities.

The accident occurred at 6:18 pm on Wednesday in Zhaosu county in Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, when one of the bridge’s suspension cables snapped, causing the bridge deck to tilt.

The scenic spot has been closed and an investigation into the cause of the accident is underway, according to Xinhua.

Upon receiving the report, the Office of the Work Safety Committee of China’s State Council immediately formed a joint working group with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. The group rushed to the scene overnight to assist local authorities in treating the injured, managing the on-site response, and investigating the cause of the accident. The working group urged all relevant parties to draw serious lessons from the incident, promptly determine the cause, strengthen safety oversight through comprehensive reviews, and resolutely prevent similar accidents from occurring, China’s Ministry of Emergency Management said on its Sina Weibo account.

The Xiata scenic area is located in the Kirgiz Ethnic Township of Zhaosu county. In recent years, Xiata has been hailed as one of China’s “Top Ten Adventure Hotspots in China.”

The suspension bridge where the cable snapped was Jiangjun Bridge (General Bridge) located inside the scenic area. According to Jiemian News, a similar incident occurred on June 19, 2024, on Jiangjun Bridge where a broken cable caused the bridge deck to tilt severely.

Videos filmed by tourists circulating on the social media platforms show that when the incident occurred, one of the bridge’s cables snapped, causing the bridge deck to tilt toward the broken side.

A tourist surnamed Tong, who was at the scene, said the bridge is a necessary route to reach the scenic spot. When the steel cable on the right side of the bridge suddenly snapped, some people fell into the river, others onto the rocks, and several were trapped on the bridge. Nearby herders spontaneously rode horses to assist in the rescue, and the injured were later taken to a nearby clinic, Yangtze Evening News reported. 

According to Tong, the bridge has three sections, with piers between them. While he and his tour group members were walking through the middle of the first section, the steel cable suddenly snapped, and the bridge collapsed. Three members of his group fell from the bridge, Yangtze Evening News reported. 

Tong was trapped on the bridge and did not suffer serious injuries. He and the other trapped tourists were rescued around 7:20 pm. The seriously injured were taken to a nearby clinic, while those with minor injuries drove to a hospital farther away for treatment. 

A tourist who claimed to be on the bridge when the accident occurred wrote on the social media platform Xiaohongshu that it was windy at the time, and many adults and their children were shaking the bridge as they walked, a description echoed by other netizens.

Although the suspension bridge does not appear very high in witness videos, the tourist said the rocks in the glacial terrain is rough, and the sharp stones can easily cause fractures or sprained ankles. Besides, the river water flows fast and it is icy cold. People falling into the river would soon suffer from hypothermia. 

A staff member from the Xiata scenic area told the Global Times on Thursday that the area has been closed for safety inspection, and no further details about the accident scene can be provided.

A staff member from the Zhaosu county emergency response and management bureau said that rescue efforts were underway. The scenic area had been closed, with all tourists been evacuated, Fengmian News reported on Wednesday.