A pontoon bridge was seen as a faster and more direct alternative for a larger flow of people returning from entertainment events from Žirmūnai to the Vilnius Old Town.

Although construction was scheduled to run from 7 to 11 April, it took longer than expected due to the river's spring flood.

[4] On 13 April, the Hungarian musical ensemble Syrius performed at the Palace of Concerts and Sports,[5] dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Hungary's liberation from Fascism by the USSR.

At around 10 p.m., after the end of the show, a crowd of people chose a quicker route back via the Vilnius Cathedral across the pontoon bridge, which was not yet open to the public.

A number of people, wearing heavy winter clothing, fell into the icy water.

[1][3][6] The incident occurred shortly after the Žasliai railway disaster, and authorities of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic were hesitant to admit it officially.