Pongpet Suspension Bridge in Pangandaran Collapses Shortly After Inauguration
The Merah Putih suspension bridge, located in Margajaya Hamlet, Margacinta Village, Cijulang District, Pangandaran Regency, West Java, reportedly collapsed suddenly on Sunday (30/8) at approximately 16:00 WIB. This incident occurred shortly after the bridge was officially inaugurated by the Regent of Pangandaran, Citra Pitriyami.
The bridge, which is part of a national bridge development programme initiated by the President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, collapsed while being traversed by around 50 people. The group included the Regent of Pangandaran, the Head of the Public Works Department Ling Ling Nugraha Senjaya, the Pangandaran 0625 Military District Commander Letkol Czi Citra Kurniawan, the Head of the Tourism Office, the Village Head of Margacinta, and local residents.
Commander of the 0625/Pangandaran Military District, Letkol Czi Citra Kurniawan, explained that the damage did not occur to the lower frame of the bridge. Based on initial inspections, the sling cable on the right side detached along with its anchor block, while the sling on the left side remained attached and the lower frame remained intact.
Letkol Czi Citram Kurniawan openly admitted to negligence by the 0625 Military District Command in controlling the number of people crossing during the inauguration ceremony.
“The cause was indeed an error on our part from the 0625 Military District Command; during the inauguration, we did not control the capacity crossing the bridge. We admit the incident occurred due to negligence in managing the number of people,” said Letkol Czi Citra Kurniawan on Monday (31/8).
He added that the high enthusiasm of the community welcoming the opening of access to Pangandaran’s tourist destinations triggered an uncontrollable euphoria. This occurred despite the fact that the 60-metre-long and 1.8-metre-wide bridge has strict load limits.
Although the bridge collapsed from a height of approximately 30 metres, it has been confirmed that there were no fatalities in the incident. Several individuals were reported to have sustained minor injuries due to the jolting and impact when the fastening construction snapped.
The incident was captured in amateur videos lasting 46, 28, and 22 seconds, which subsequently went viral on social media. The footage shows the moments when the bridge’s fastening construction detached, causing the bridge structure to tilt and collapse.
The Merah Putih suspension bridge plays a strategic role as it connects Margacinta Village and Cibanten Village in Cijulang District, as well as Cimindi Village in Cigugur District. In addition to being projected as tourist access to the Margacinta Village Cultural Kampung, this bridge is a vital route for schoolchildren, farmers, and an emergency health route to Pandega Hospital.