GUANGZHOU, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and three others missing after a ship hit a bridge and caused the bridge to fracture on Thursday morning in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, rescuers said.

The accident happened at around 5:30 a.m. when a container ship hit the pier of the Lixinsha Bridge in Nansha District. Five vehicles, including a motorbike, were involved in the accident. Two of them plunged into the river and the others fell onto the vessel, a preliminary investigation has found.

A crew member is slightly injured in the accident.

Rescue efforts are underway, and the cause of the accident is being investigated.