A bridge too far: Dozens of tourists plummet into lake after ignoring 'maximum capacity of 40' warning sign
- - Hundreds of tourists crossed bridge to see Lushan Mountain in Jiujiang city
- - They ignored signs which said it could only support 40 people, not hundreds
- - People were seen struggling to stay afloat and scrambling over each other
- - As many as 18 people suffered minor injuries, no one was badly hurt
By MATT BLAKE
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As any tour guide will tell you, there are few things scarier than a stampede of picture-hungry tourists with their sights set on a photo opportunity.
And as these images show, when they really want to take a photograph there's next to nothing you can do to stop them - no matter how dangerous the route may be.
Dozens of Chinese tourists were plunged into a lake when this newly-built footbridge buckled under their weight as they swarmed across to get a better view of Lushan Mountain in Jiujiang city, eastern China.
Scroll down for video.
Dunked: This was the scene when dozens of photo-hungry tourists ignored guides' warnings and piled onto this bridge to get a better
view of Lushan Mountain in Jiujiang city, China
Unexpected: Tourists saw more than they were expecting when they visited a newly opened marina offering boat trips on a lake when
the bridge to the boats collapsed
Cold surprise: Fellow tourists watched as they fell into the icy water one by one, leaving as many as 18 people with minor injuries in
east China's Jiangxi province
The bridge collapsed when the herd of sightseers piled onto the bridge despite signs stating its maximum weight threshold.
A spokesman for the builders denied the bridge was clear, saying: 'It was designed for 40 people, not 200.
'They should have not allowed so many on at the same time.'
Creaking: Moments earlier the tourists came onto the bridge which heaved and creaked under their weight
Not so swimmingly: This was the scene seconds later
Help! People were seen struggling to stay afloat and scrambling over each other as the water flooded onto the bridge
Help! Most of the tourists floundered in the water for about five minutes before they were rescued
Life rings: Eye witnesses threw dozens of life rings into the water to keep them afloat
They fell into the icy water one by one, leaving as many as 18 people with minor injuries in east China's Jiangxi province.
People were seen struggling to stay afloat and scrambling over each other as the water flooded onto the bridge, and eye witnesses then threw dozens of life rings to keep them afloat.
The incident occurred when too many tourists crowded onto the bridge, ignoring instructions from management staff, a publicity department official with the West Sea Tourism Zone Management Committee said.
Under inspection: The bridge had been in trial use since September 26 as it had not yet passed final inspections, according to a report
The wharf opened in September for the pleasure boats with parking for buses was built because Xihai is famous for its mountains and clear waters.
The bridge had been in trial use since September 26 as it had not yet passed final inspections, according to a report.
Most of the tourists were rescued after around five minutes of floundering in the water.
They suffered slight bruises and had been sent to a hospital, the publicity department official said.
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