At past 4 p.m. on 13/7, Tran Huu Ba, 37, was driving a five-seater car with Nghe An plates, carrying Son and Tran Van Trung, both 35, on National Highway 46A from Kim Lien commune to Van An commune, in the former Nam Dan district. The weather was dry, and there were a few motorbikes and cars traveling in both directions.

Near Thien Duong Bridge in Van An commune, the car suddenly struck two motorbikes. One motorbike was driven by Hoang Thi Quy, 52, a resident of Van An commune, traveling in the same direction. The other motorbike carried a family of four, including Dau Dinh Cong, 32, from Dai Hue commune, traveling in the opposite direction.

Authorities recover the five-seater car from the Dao River on the afternoon of 13/7. Photo: Hung Le

Authorities recover the five-seater car from the Dao River on the afternoon of 13/7. Photo: Hung Le

Dashcam footage from a car traveling in the opposite direction shows the five-seater car speeding, tilting on its front two wheels and the rear left wheel. It then successively crashed into the two motorbikes, broke through about 10 meters of the Thien Duong Bridge's steel railing, and plunged into the river amidst a cloud of dust.

The accident occurred on a section of road over 20 meters wide leading to Thien Duong Bridge, approximately 200 meters from a populated area sign, in an area without a speed limit. Road construction to widen National Highway 46A is underway nearby.

While receiving treatment at Nghe An Provincial General Hospital, Hoang Thi Quy recounted that she was riding her motorbike from her mother's house in Kim Lien commune to her home in Van An commune, former Nam Dan district. About 10 meters from the bridge, she heard a rumbling sound behind her. Seconds later, the sound intensified, and she felt as if "a helicopter was flying overhead".

At the same time, two cars were traveling in the opposite direction on the bridge. Quy panicked, wondering, "What's happening?". "About two seconds later, after my motorbike had traveled another two meters, I was thrown from the bridge, flying tens of meters. My motorbike was also flung away," she said.

Quy is being treated at Nghe An Provincial General Hospital on 14/7. Photo: Duc Hung

Quy is being treated at Nghe An Provincial General Hospital on 14/7. Photo: Duc Hung

The impact from behind knocked her unconscious. She regained consciousness about 10 minutes later, dizzy and bruised, unable to stand. Passersby removed her helmet, asked for her phone, and contacted her family to take her to the hospital.

"It happened so fast, in just two or three seconds. I couldn't tell what hit me. I thought I had fallen into the river. I feel very lucky to be alive and able to talk," she said. Quy remains hospitalized for observation due to dizziness and scrapes.

By 6 p.m. that day, rescuers had retrieved the car from the river. The front of the car was crushed, the entire body mangled, and the front left wheel almost detached. Over 10 meters away, the motorbikes of Cong and Quy were destroyed, parts scattered across the road. Blood and fuel stained the scene.

The moment the five-seater car hits two motorbikes and plunges into the river. Video: Hung Le

The accident killed three people: Cong, his 9-year-old nephew, and Son. The boy, swept away by the car, was found near 10 p.m. about 10 meters from the crash site. Cong died at the hospital. Son's body was discovered near 1 a.m. on 14/7, about 200 meters downstream from the crash site, after an overnight search.

Four people are being treated in the hospital: Quy, Ba, Binh, and her 4-year-old son. Binh is no longer in critical condition, and her son has regained consciousness but remains weak. Authorities have not released information on Ba's condition.

On the morning of 14/7, the accident site was cleared, and traffic resumed. Tire marks and debris remained. The broken section of the railing was cordoned off. Dai Hue and Van An commune authorities visited and provided 5 million dong to each deceased victim's family and 2 million dong to each injured person.

Cong's motorbike is mangled after the accident. Photo: Hung Le

Cong's motorbike is mangled after the accident. Photo: Hung Le

Among the victims, Cong's family faces particularly difficult circumstances. He and his wife were factory workers, with a young child and a 9-year-old nephew (his brother's son from a broken marriage), who also died in the accident.

Nghe An Provincial Police are questioning driver Ba and other related individuals. The cause of the accident and the car's speed before impact have not been released.

Duc Hung