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Elevated Road Under Construction in Bangkok Collapses, At Least 5 Dead

Dangerous zone warning signs were posted to block off the area at the scene of an accident at an under-construction expressway, in Bangkok, Thailand, 15 March 2025. EPA/NARONG SANGNAK
Dangerous zone warning signs were posted to block off the area at the scene of an accident at an under-construction expressway, in Bangkok, Thailand, 15 March 2025. EPA/NARONG SANGNAK
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Elevated Road Under Construction in Bangkok Collapses, At Least 5 Dead

Dangerous zone warning signs were posted to block off the area at the scene of an accident at an under-construction expressway, in Bangkok, Thailand, 15 March 2025. EPA/NARONG SANGNAK
Dangerous zone warning signs were posted to block off the area at the scene of an accident at an under-construction expressway, in Bangkok, Thailand, 15 March 2025. EPA/NARONG SANGNAK

An elevated road being built in Thailand’s capital Bangkok collapsed, killing at least five people, officials said.
The collapse, which happened in the early morning in southwestern Bangkok, also injured 24 other people at the construction site, said Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit.
Suriya offered his condolences and said victims would be compensated by contractors and relevant agencies. He said four workers and an engineer were killed, and no road users were affected as traffic lanes near the construction were closed at the time.
Bangkok police commander Siam Boonsom said authorities were still investigating to determine the cause of the collapse and that they would pursue legal actions against those found responsible.
Photos from the site showed that large metal and concrete structures fell on the ground and completely blocked the road, The Associated Press reported.
The construction of the 5-kilometer (3-mile) elevated road started in 2022, according to project information published on the website of the Expressway Authority of Thailand.
Surachet Laophulsuk, governor of the agency, said they were working to clear the debris as quickly as they could, but he said it might take a week. He added that the contractors working on the project were ordered suspended for 14 days pending the investigation.
Road and construction safety is a major problem in Thailand. The site of Saturday’s collapse is a part of a major road connecting Bangkok to Thailand’s south, which has been a subject of controversy over its prolonged construction and frequent fatal accidents.
Suriya said the transportation ministry is in the process of issuing new regulations that would suspend contractors found liable for construction accidents and blacklist them from bidding on future government projects.

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Major Search Continues after Deadly Migrant Boat Sinking Off Cyprus Coast

Handout obtained from Cypriot government’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre shows migrant boat in Mediterranen waters east of Cape Greco in southeastern Cyprus ahead of a rescue operation. (File/AFP)
Handout obtained from Cypriot government’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre shows migrant boat in Mediterranen waters east of Cape Greco in southeastern Cyprus ahead of a rescue operation. (File/AFP)
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Major Search Continues after Deadly Migrant Boat Sinking Off Cyprus Coast

Handout obtained from Cypriot government’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre shows migrant boat in Mediterranen waters east of Cape Greco in southeastern Cyprus ahead of a rescue operation. (File/AFP)
Handout obtained from Cypriot government’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre shows migrant boat in Mediterranen waters east of Cape Greco in southeastern Cyprus ahead of a rescue operation. (File/AFP)

A major rescue operation continued Tuesday off the southern coast of Cyprus after a migrant boat sank in international waters, with no additional survivors or bodies found since the initial recovery, official said.

Authorities Monday said seven bodies had been recovered and two people rescued some 45 kilometers (28 miles) south of Cyprus. Officials said the boat was believed to be carrying at least 20 Syrians, The Associated Press reported.

The island republic's Joint Rescue Coordination Center confirmed an ongoing operation involving military helicopters, rescue vessels and drones, assisted by a helicopter from a British base on Cyprus.

“As time passes and no other people are found, hope naturally and dramatically diminishes,” Defense Minister Vasilis Palmas told a press briefing late Monday.

The rescue effort is taking place amid rising irregular border crossings in the eastern Mediterranean, according to the European Union border protection agency Frontex, despite a broader decline across the bloc.

Cypriot officials said they continue to monitor increased maritime movement from Lebanon and Syria amid ongoing regional instability.

Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis said the first survivor had been spotted during a routine patrol. After that, he said, “the response was immediate, which is why we managed to save the second person very quickly.”