The Colgante Bridge Tragedy

The tragic incident in 1972 seemed to foreshadow one of the darkest eras in the country, the declaration of Martial Law a few days later.

The site of a tragic incident that occurred on September 16, 1972. On this day, more than a hundred pilgrims who were celebrating the Penafrancia Festivities died when the Colgante Bridge, which was then a 15-year-old wooden bailey bridge, collapsed from the weight of the throngs of people.

Most of the victims were either drowned or crushed to death on boats beneath. Hoards of people had rushed to the bridge to watch the fluvial procession below. The structure swung as authorities struggled to control the crowd, to no avail. As devotees shouted “Viva La Virgen!”, screams According to a newspaper report, some 138 people died and hundreds were injured as a result of the collapse. Interestingly, the bridge (a suspension-type bridge at the time) had previously collapsed in 1948, reportedly killing 30 people.

The incident in 1972 seemed to foreshadow one of the darkest eras in the country, the declaration of Martial Law a few days later.

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Last updated on August 28th, 2024 at 04:30 pm