Four soldiers died in an accident at the Luri River crossing, while trying to cross in high water on Saturday. The soldiers were assigned to facilitate the return of cattle from Juba to Terekeka County.
The Luri Bridge collapsed in 2012 and ever since, it floods whenever it rains. Luri River has claimed several lives as people try to cross it.
In 2019, the South Sudanese government allocated 86 million South Sudanese Pounds for the reconstruction of the bridge. The rehabilitation of the bridge was reportedly started earlier this year.
Speaking to state-owned media on Sunday at Luri River, the Inspector General of Police, Gen. Majak Akec Malok said the river took the lives of four soldiers and that 16 others sustained injuries.
"Two of our vehicles were returning from a mission, our soldiers were assigned to facilitate the return of cattle to their areas. When our soldiers arrived at the Luri Bridge, they found the stream flooded and their two vehicles overturned while trying to cross the bridge," Gen. Majak said.
"The two vehicles were carrying 20 soldiers, so one vehicle was swept away by water and the other one has been recovered. Four soldiers are missing and 16 others are injured, so I would like to send my condolences to families of the four soldiers," Majak said.
According to the police boss, officials at the National Ministry of Roads and Bridges are working to construct the deadly Luri Bridge.
The Luri River bridge lies on a road connecting Juba to Western Equatoria and beyond into Bahr el Ghazal.