News
Crimea bridge partly reopens after explosion
A devastating blast ripped through Crimea’s Kerch Strait Bridge, sending charred debris and stunned drivers plummeting into the sea 150 feet below.
The destructive explosion, which killed three people and injured at least 10 others, has been called a “terror attack” by Russian officials.
The bridge was only completed last year and spans nearly 12 miles, making it the longest in Europe.
It links Russia to the contested peninsula of Crimea, which was annexed by Moscow in 2014. Since then, the region has been embroiled in a proxy war between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists.\
Details of the Attack
According to investigators, the initial explosion occurred around 3:30 am local time when a lorry carrying gas cylinders blew up as it crossed the bridge. The detonation caused several cars to go up in flames and set fire to a nearby fuel tanker.
However, witnesses say that as people got out of their vehicles to assess the damage, a second explosion went off. This blast appears to have come from inside the lorry itself and caused an entire section of the bridge to collapse. Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the second explosion.
One man who was driving across the bridge when it collapsed told Russian news outlets that he saw a “column of smoke” coming from the lorry just before it exploded.
“I stopped…and got out of my car,” he said.
“I wanted to help but then there was another explosion and everything around began to catch fire.”
At least three people were killed in the blast and 10 others were injured, according to Crimean authorities.
All of the victims were inside vehicles that fell into the sea when the bridge collapsed.
Flame and smoke rise from the Crimean Bridge
A video published by Russia’s foreign ministry shows traffic crossing the damaged bridge on Saturday evening as repair work gets underway.
It is unclear when the bridge will be fully operational again.
The Investigation Begins
Russian officials have opened a criminal case into what they are calling a “terror attack.” However, they have released few details about who they believe is responsible for planting the explosives or what their motives might be.
Security camera footage from around the time of the blast shows a man parking his car near where the explosions occurred and then walking away from the scene shortly before they went off. It is unclear if this man is connected to the attack in any way.
