General Belgrano Bridge damaged by Paraguayan tugboat collision

The Paraguayan tugboat Tío Jan collided with a defense pontoon and pile number 5 of the General Belgrano Interprovincial Bridge, which connects the Argentine provinces of Chaco and Corrientes. The impact caused structural damage to the bridge, including fractured and demolished concrete that left the internal reinforcement visible.

Following the collision, five barges from the convoy broke loose and drifted into the Paraná River. Emergency operations led by the Argentine Naval Prefecture successfully recovered and secured all five barges, preventing further drift or grounding.

Federal Prosecutor Melina Perborell has launched an investigation to determine the causes of the accident and verify the technical conditions of the vessels. Simultaneously, the Paraná-Paraguay Waterway Authority has initiated an administrative inquiry. As a safety precaution, authorities have reduced the permitted size for convoys passing under the bridge by half, limiting them to a maximum length of 180 meters and a width of 50 meters.