Heavy rains on 13 September, driven by a tropical low, caused the Ô Lâu River in Quảng Trị to swell and sweep a cluster of three linked barges (sà lan) downstream. The flotilla became lodged at the Mỹ Chánh bridge, straddling both the railway and the adjacent road. By the morning of 14 September the river level had receded, exposing the barges but leaving two still trapped: a large barge wedged with its bow under the road bridge and its stern against the railway bridge, and a smaller, tilted barge partially submerged beside debris.
Local officials, including Vice Chairman Lê Văn Bảo, arrived to supervise the rescue. The removal plan, outlined by Võ Văn Thức of the extraction unit, called for divers to assess the situation, water to be pumped out, and four lifebuoys to raise the vessels before towing. A 55‑ton, 45‑metre‑boom crane was deployed, supported by an excavator and a fire‑engine crew. At approximately 16:30, operators secured the crane hook to the large barge’s deck, lifted its bow and pulled it downstream, where a patrol boat guided it to a mooring point. The barge cleared both bridge spans without damaging the structure, allowing trains to continue at a reduced speed of 15 km/h.
The smaller barge remains submerged and tilted; authorities are evaluating additional extraction methods, with the overall operation expected to take up to four days. Throughout the effort, traffic on National Highway 1 was temporarily rerouted, and safety of the railway, road and waterway was maintained.