Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 29) — Search and rescue operations at the collapsed Loay bridge have ended, Bohol Governor Art Yap said on Friday.
“Decision has been made that there will be no more search and rescue operations for bodies or survivors,” he said during a Facebook live.
Authorities reported a total of four dead and 31 survivors. An Austrian national was among the fatalities, while his wife survived, local police and officials said.
Yap said despite bad weather, seven dives were done over two days since the bridge collapsed on Wednesday.
“We are now shifting the operations towards retrieval of debris and the 15 vehicles that are now submerged in the waters below,” he added.
The Bohol governor also wants an investigation into why the bridge collapsed, citing the number of lives lost and those who were injured.
“The minimum thing that has to happen is an investigation,” Yap said. “We need to know what happened for the sake of everybody using this bridge.”
According to Yap, the provincial government of Bohol will lead the probe and the National Bureau of Investigation will be asked for assistance.
He stressed that the focus should be on what really happened and liabilities can be determined later on.
