 The bridge after the collapse | |
| Date | 4 March 2001 |
|---|---|
| Time | 21:15 (WEST) |
| Location | Between Entre-os-Rios (municipality of Penafiel) and Castelo de Paiva, Portugal |
| Coordinates | 41°4′44″N 8°17′45″W / 41.07889°N 8.29583°W |
| Type | Bridge collapse |
| Cause | Bridge scour |
| Deaths | 59 |
The Hintze Ribeiro Bridge collapse, also known as the Entre-os-Rios tragedy (Portuguese: Tragédia de Entre-os-Rios), occurred in the evening of 4 March 2001, between Entre-os-Rios, in the municipality of Penafiel, and Castelo de Paiva, in northern Portugal. After days of heavy rain and flooding, one of the pillars of the Hintze Ribeiro Bridge, a 114 year-old bridge over the Douro river that had visible signs of degradation, collapsed due to scour, dragging with it part of the deck. One bus and three cars fell into the Douro river, killing a total of 59 people, of which the bodies of 36 were never recovered.