A major bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, the Francis Scott Key Bridge, partially collapsed on Tuesday 26 March after being hit by a cargo ship, leaving people in the Patapsco River below.
According to international news sources, initial reports state that many cars hit the water in addition to construction workers who were working on the bridge in Baltimore. Emergency crews are searching for up to twenty people believed to be in the water. Two people have been rescued from the water and one is in a “very serious condition,” the chief of Baltimore’s fire department states.
Probable cause of the incident
The Singapore-flagged containership ship involved, named Dali, had left Baltimore at 1 a.m. and was headed to Colombo, Sri Lanka. Images on social media depict the mangled wreckage of the bridge.
CCTV and marine tracking data reveal a sequence of events leading up to the collision involving the Dali container ship and the Baltimore bridge. As the Dali approaches the Francis Scott Key Bridge at 01:24:32 local time, it experiences a power loss for approximately 60 seconds.
Shortly after, just over a minute later, the ship begins emitting black smoke. The vessel loses power again about two minutes before the collision. Finally, at 01:28:44 local time, the Dali collides with the bridge, causing it to collapse just four seconds later.
Rescue operations and aftermath
The Maryland Transport Authority confirmed the closure of I-695 due to the strike. Additionally, Maryland Governor Wes Moore has declared a state of emergency following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Meanwhile, multiple emergency crews are on the scene assessing the damage and investigating the cause, with news sources reporting widespread fear of a mass casualty event.