Baltimore bridge collapsed, 6 workers presumed dead
A cargo ship lost power and slammed into a major bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, demolishing it in seconds and dumping it into the river in a horrifying collapse that might shut down a vital maritime port for months. Six people were missing and thought dead, and the search was halted until Wednesday morning.
Maryland’s governor said that the ship’s crew issued a mayday call moments before the collapse that brought down the Francis Scott Key Bridge, allowing officials to restrict car traffic on the span.
As the vessel approached the bridge, plumes of black smoke could be seen as the lights flickered on and off. It struck one of the bridge’s supports, causing the structure to collapse like a doll and bringing a part of the span to rest on the bow.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said that with the ship approaching the bridge at “a very, very rapid speed,” authorities had barely enough time to halt cars from crossing.
Col. Roland L. Butler Jr., superintendent of Maryland State Police, said in the evening that a search and recovery operation replaced the search and rescue mission. He also stated that the search had been paused and that divers would return to the location at 6 a.m. Wednesday, when the challenging overnight circumstances were expected to ease. Butler said that no bodies had been retrieved.
The six persons who went missing were part of a construction crew that was fixing potholes on the bridge, according to Paul Wiedefeld, the state transportation secretary.
A senior official from the company that employed the workers also stated in the afternoon that the workers were presumed dead due to the level of the water and the amount of time that had passed.
Tuesday’s collapse is expected to cause a logistical nightmare along the East Coast for months, if not years, by shutting down ship traffic at the Port of Baltimore, a crucial centre. The bridge’s closure will also disrupt cargo and commuter traffic.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said at a press conference that it was too early to predict how long it will take to clear the canal, which is roughly 50 feet (15 meters) deep.
According to Marine Traffic records, the Dali, flying the Singapore flag and travelling from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka, is approximately 985 feet (300 meters) long and 157 feet (48 meters) broad.
Synergy Marine Group, which manages the ship, stated that it collided with a bridge pillar around 1:30 a.m. while piloted by one or more local specialists who assist in securely guiding vessels into and out of ports. Grace Ocean Private Ltd owns the ship.
Synergy said all crew members and the two pilots were safe, and no injuries were reported.
The governor said the ship was going at 8 knots, or around 9 mph (14.8 kph).
Inspectors discovered a fault with Dali’s machinery in June, but a more recent inspection revealed no deficiencies, according to the maritime tracking system Equasis.
The Danish shipping company Maersk said it had rented the vessel.