A suspension bridge in Colombia has collapsed, killing at least 11 people and injuring several others near the city of Villavicencio, south-east of the capital, Bogota, BBC reported.

Pictures show the structure, made of boards and rope, dangling on its side.

Eyewitnesses said one of the ropes had snapped as more than two dozen people were crossing the bridge.

Some managed to hold on, but many others, including young children, fell into the ravine below.

Hilton Gutierrez of the mayor's office in nearby Villavicencio said that the collapse was due to excess weight. He said that close to 30 people were on the bridge and that some of them were leaning over one side when a rope snapped, leaving the bridge lopsided.

An eyewitness told local news site Enterate Villavo that a local shop charged 2,000 pesos ($0.70) to cross the bridge but that there was no one monitoring the number of people using it at any given time.

Source: BBC