The Brazilian Navy rescued this Wednesday (1st) the body that had been identified in the cabin of a truck that remained submerged after the collapse of the Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira Bridge, on BR-226, between Aguiarnópolis (TO) and Estreito (MA ). The structure, which connects the states of Maranhão and Tocantins, collapsed on the 22nd.
This Sunday (31), the search and rescue task force for the victims removed a white Voyage vehicle that was submerged from the Tocantins River. The team used divers and refloating devices. In the car, there was a body also previously located and another, until then, missing. This brings the total number of confirmed deaths to 12. Five people are still missing.
“The Navy sympathizes with the families and friends of the victims and makes available to citizens the numbers of Dial Emergency Maritimes and Rivers (185) and the Port Authority of Maranhão, 0800-098-8432 and (98) 2107- 0121, to receive information regarding any situation that could compromise the safeguarding of human life on waterways or that poses a risk of environmental pollution.”
Understand
The bridge’s central span gave way on the afternoon of December 22, knocking over at least 10 vehicles, including three trucks carrying around 25,000 liters of pesticides and 76 tons of sulfuric acid. The National Water Agency (ANA) reported that water quality analysis indicates that there was no leakage of materials.
According to the Ministry of Transport, the bridge was inaugurated in 1961 and the old structure “no longer met the increased flow of vehicles and cargo transported along the axis”. The Federal Police opened an investigation to determine who was responsible for the collapse of the structure.
The National Department of Transport Infrastructure (Dnit) also opened an investigation to determine who was responsible for the collapse. The commission will have 120 days to present the results of the investigation.
New bridge
This week, the Ministry of Transport hired a company that will be responsible for the reconstruction work on the Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira Bridge. In total, the work has an estimated value of R$171.9 million and the deadline for rebuilding the structure is December 22, 2025, one year after the bridge collapse.
The contracting was on an emergency basis, that is, without bidding. The Penedo-Neópolis consortium, formed by the companies Construtora Gaspar S/A and Arteles Construções Limitada, will be responsible for the works.
