A 25-ton mobile crane plunged from a temporary bridge into the Yodogawa River in Fukushima Ward, Osaka, Wednesday morning, killing a crane operator who fell into the water with the vehicle.
The Osaka Prefectural Police said the vehicle slipped over the edge of the bridge and fell 4 meters into the river along with Takashi Kawaguchi, 68, who was apparently trying to turn off the ignition from outside the cab.
Kawaguchi is believed to have gotten out of the vehicle to remove some obstacles when it tipped over, the police said, adding that they will investigate further.
The accident occurred near Yodogawa Station on the Hanshin Electric Railway, where work is under way on a highway interchange linking the Hanshin Expressway's Yodogawa Sagan Line and Kobe Line.