Brazilian authorities reported on Thursday that the death toll from the collapse of the Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge in northeastern Brazil has risen to eight, with nine people still missing.
The incident occurred Sunday when the bridge, which connects Maranhão and Tocantins, collapsed with about a dozen vehicles on it.
Divers from the Brazilian Navy and firefighters recovered two additional bodies, bringing the confirmed death count to eight. Search efforts continue downstream, covering several kilometers. Among the wreckage, a truck carrying sulfuric acid was found.
Search operations resumed Wednesday after the Brazilian Water and Sanitation Agency confirmed no risk of contamination in the Tocantins River. Three trucks carrying around 25,000 liters of pesticides and 76 tons of sulfuric acid were among those that fell into the river.
Firefighters said poor visibility and the river’s depth, around 40 meters at the site, are hindering the search.
Both Maranhão and Tocantins have declared three days of mourning.
An investigation is underway following instructions from President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, with authorities suspecting structural issues in the bridge’s design.