A large container ship collided with Baltimore’s Key Bridge early Tuesday morning resulting in a partial collapse. Cars were driving over the bridge during the collapse, and there was also a construction crew working. The Francis Scott Key Bridge, which carries Interstate 695 over the Patapsco River, was hit by the 948-foot Dali container ship, the U.S. Coast Guard told NBC News.
The crew of Dali issued a mayday that allowed officials to stop the flow of traffic over the bridge. The crew claims that they lost post power, which can be seen in a CNN video as the ship’s lights flicker. Maryland Governor Wes Moore said that the call “saved lives.” He added, “Our state is in shock.” An unknown number of construction workers were doing repairs on the bridge when the ship hit a support pillar and at least six people are still believed to be missing, Moore said. He has confirmed that the bridge was fully up to code.
Dali was chartered by Danish shipping company Maersk, although the vessel is operated by charter vessel company Synergy Group. Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) said that the ship is registered in Singapore, and they are launching a full investigation. The MPA said it is in contact with the U.S. Coast Guard and will “provide full cooperation to the U.S. Coast Guard in its investigations,” the statement says.
Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld confirmed that eight people were on the bridge at the time of the collapse, and two have been rescued. Drone and sonar technology is being used to locate cars that are submerged in the 50-foot deep, freezing waters. At least five vehicles have been identified — three passenger vehicles, a cement truck, and a fifth vehicle. Up to eight dive teams have been working to try to rescue victims.
President Joe Biden said, “I’ve directed my Administration to ensure every federal resource is available to assist search and rescue efforts and response to this terrible incident,” in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. The post contains a photo of Biden in the Oval Office receiving a briefing about the disaster with a solemn, sad expression.
35,000 people use the bridge every day, and authorities are searching for alternative transit routes, namely the harbor tunnel and the Fort McHenry tunnel.
