- Cargo ship collision causes Baltimore bridge collapse, six missing
- Major U.S. bridge collapses into river after ship collision
- Construction workers among missing after bridge collapse, investigation ongoing
The collision between the cargo ship Dali and the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland, which precipitated its disintegration into the Patapsco River, has left six individuals unaccounted for. The incident has been labelled a “developing mass casualty event” by authorities.
A significant bridge in the U.S. city of Baltimore has collapsed following a collision with a cargo ship.
A substantial segment of the 1.6-mile-long Francis Scott Key Bridge descending into the Patapsco River subsequent to the collision that transpired at approximately 1.30 am local time (5.30 am U.K. time) is captured on camera.
The video captures vehicles plummeting from the viaduct.
Six individuals are still missing in the aftermath of two individuals being pulled from the water.
While one of those rescued was unharmed, the other was in a “very serious condition” and is currently receiving treatment in a hospital.
The vessel reportedly alerted authorities via mayday signal that it had experienced a power outage prior to the collision. They later reported that the vessel had lost propulsion and abandoned its anchors prior to the collision.
CCTV and marine tracking data indicate that approximately sixty seconds prior to colliding with the bridge, the vessel Dali lost power, altered its course, and began smoking.
The Maryland Transport Authority announced that until further notice, all port traffic at Baltimore has been halted.
Tuesday afternoon, Wes Moore, the governor of Baltimore, and Paul Wiedefeld, the secretary of the Maryland Transport Authority, provided an update stating that it is believed that the individuals who remain missing were construction labourers repairing potholes on the bridge.
All 22 crew members present on the vessel have been accounted for, including both pilots; no injuries have been reported.
Mr. Moore stated that preliminary investigation intelligence indicates an accident. He stated that no evidence points to an assault related to terrorism.
Mr Moore expressed to the victims and their loved ones, “Our deepest condolences, souls are broken; we are grieving with you all.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with the construction workers who perished on the bridge and all those affected by this tragic event.
We will successfully navigate this.
The Baltimore metropolitan area will be under a local state of emergency for the next thirty days as the ongoing search for the missing persons progresses, as declared by Mayor Brandon Scott.
Previously, he remarked that the collapse resembled something from an action film.
Regarding the incident, the National Transportation Safety Board is also conducting an investigation.
The container ship, measuring 289 metres in length, was en route to Colombo, Sri Lanka when the collision occurred.
Maersk, a Danish shipping corporation that chartered the vessel, expressed “horrification” at the events that transpired. It expressed its condolences to all those impacted.
When it collided with a quay at the Port of Antwerp in Belgium in 2016, the identical vessel was previously involved in a minor incident, according to Vessel Finder and maritime accident website Shipwrecklog.
The incident purportedly resulted in damage to the vessel, but no injuries or pollution concerns were reported.
The bridge is a local “major artery.”
Locally known as the Key Bridge, the structure was characterised by resident Michael Brown as a “major artery” for the city.
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“This situation currently resembles an April Fools’ joke,” Mr. Brown told NBC.
Not only is it a major thoroughfare for traffic, but it also serves as a vital access point to the port.” Hopefully, all parties involved are in good health.
Mr Brown stated that he visits family across the bridge and that its devastation is a “major concern.” However, he added that “the priority should be on rescuing whoever is in the water.”
The road that traverses the bridge, Interstate 695, was closed, and the Maryland Transport Authority rerouted traffic.
Affect on commerce
The eleventh busiest port in the United States, the Port of Baltimore, is accessible to oceangoing vessels via the bridge; therefore, its closure will have repercussions for the industry.
Richard Meade, editor of Lloyd’s List, a publication that covers the international maritime sector, stated that the collision will necessitate the reconstruction of the bridge and the diversion of marine traffic, all of which will be “significant and expensive” operations.
MarineTraffic data indicates that approximately forty vessels are still within the closed harbour, with an additional thirty having indicated that the port was their intended destination.
Established in 1977, the Key Bridge, as certified by the National Steel Bridge Alliance, is among the longest continuous girder bridges globally.
It was named after the author of the national anthem of the United States, The Star-Spangled Banner, which was composed following a US-UK battle in Baltimore Harbour during the War of 1812.
David MacKenzie, chair of engineering consultancy COWIfonden, estimated that the cost to reconstruct the bridge would be ten times greater than the initial investment of approximately $60 million (£47 million).
