BANDA ACEH

Twelve children died when a suspension bridge collapsed as they were taking part in a traditional ceremony in Aceh to dispel bad luck, an official said on Monday.

The accident happened on Sunday in a remote village in the province on Sumatra island, district chief Ibnu Hasyim said.

“There were about 37 kids gathered together on a wire-cable suspension bridge when it collapsed and they fell into a river,” he said.

Twenty-five children were rescued with minor injuries but 12 others, all below the age of 12, were swept away in the strong currents.

The children were watching a ritual ceremony to dispel misfortune after a measles outbreak in the area.

“The adults were throwing offerings in the form of chickens into the river” when the bridge collapsed, the official said.