Published by: THE WORLD UYGHUR NETWORK NEWS, 10 September 1997

Associated Press, 8/28/97

A makeshift wood and earth bridge collapsed under the weight of a tractor-trailer in northwestern China, killing 39 people, an official report seen on Thursday said. The bridge collapse which occurred on August 21 sent all 56 people aboard the tractor-trailer plunging into the river near the city of Kashgar, in remote Xinjiang, the Xinjiang Daily said. Of the 39 who died, 30 were women and some were children, the report said. Five people were injured and the rest were rescued unharmed from the two-metre deep stream. It said most of the victims were going to visit relatives in Kashgar. One family lost nine people in the tragedy.