According to figures released by the Transport Ministry, 50 were killed, 82 injured and 3 remain missing in the accident that occurred on September 26 when two sections of bridge, currently under construction, collapsed.

He pledged to work with the contractors to rectify the causes of the collapse and quickly resume work, as well as caring for the victims and their families while continuing the search for the remaining three people who are still missing.

Kanji Hayama, president of the project’s principal contractors, Taisei, spoke on behalf of the consortium of investors including the Japanese companies of Kajima and Nippon Steel. He expressed his deep sorrow to the families of the victims and pledged to prevent any similar accidents, to identify the causes of the accident, and to ensure the safety of future work on the project.

Hayama said the Japanese contractor would cooperate with the Vietnamese government to assist the families of the victims and the injured.

“We are fully aware of the problems the accident has caused to the 82 injured”, said Hayama. He added that great efforts had been made in the search for the remaining missing workers.

Speaking at the commemoration, the Japanese ambassador to Vietnam Norio Hattori offered his condolences to the families of the victims.

“Regrettably, this serious accident has occurred on a very important project being built with ODA provided by the Japanese government”, he said. “The project was intended to play an important role in the development of Vietnam’s economy”, he added.

Hattori said the Japanese government would closely cooperate with the Vietnamese authorities to identify the causes of the collapse and to prevent any similar incidents.

Priority must be given to treating the victims

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong, on September 30, asked the relevant agencies to give priority to treating the injured and finding the bodies that are still missing after the bridge collapse in Can Tho city.

The deputy PM made the request while inspecting the rescue and search work at the scene of the incident.

“It is essential to have enough medicine, equipment and medical personnel to save the injured. More effort must be made to find the people still missing and to ensure that the bridge construction runs to schedule,” Mr Trong said.

Can Tho City and Vinh Long province said they will provide the family of each fatality with VND30 million, each seriously injured person with VND20 million and each slightly injured person with VND10 million.

The Can Tho bridge is being built across the Hau River, which is a branch of the Mekong River, and on a heavily travelled route that links the Mekong Delta and Ho Chi Minh City.

Once completed, the bridge will be the country's longest cable bridge with a total length of 2,750m and a four-lane carriageway 26m wide.

Construction of the bridge at an estimated cost of US$342.6 million, began in 2004 and is scheduled to be completed by next year.