In the early hours of Tuesday, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore met a catastrophic fate as it plunged into the Patapsco River following a collision with a freighter, reports confirm.
The incident left authorities scrambling to account for the number of individuals on the 1.6-mile steel structure at the time of its collapse. Early Tuesday, officials announced an ongoing search for at least seven missing persons.
Dramatic scenes of the bridge’s descent were captured by a public webcam, highlighting the gravity of the situation.
An update at 7:49 a.m. EDT on March 26, 2024, revealed that the Singapore-flagged vessel Dali experienced a loss of propulsion while departing the port. This malfunction led the crew to alert the Maryland Department of Transportation about the potential for a collision. ABC News, referencing an unclassified report from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, detailed these events leading up to the bridge’s complete collapse.
In response to the tragedy, the White House has been actively monitoring the situation. As of 7:47 a.m. EDT on March 26, 2024, a White House official reported no signs of malicious intent behind the incident. The official extended sympathies to the families of the missing and confirmed the U.S. Coast Guard’s involvement in search and rescue operations.
The aftermath of the crash has significantly impacted maritime traffic, with Marine Traffic reporting delays for eight bulk carriers and one vehicle carrier awaiting entry into the Port of Baltimore.
Maryland Transportation Secretary, Paul J. Wiedefeld, disclosed that contracted workers were present on the bridge at the time of the collision, though details regarding their fate remain unclear.
The cargo ship, constructed in 2015 and bound for Sri Lanka, left the Port of Baltimore around 1 a.m. Marine Traffic provided a video tracking the vessel’s movement until the moment of impact.
Early Tuesday, Baltimore officials, during a press conference, announced the recovery of two individuals from the water, with one refusing medical treatment and the other hospitalized in critical condition. Chief James Wallace of the Baltimore City Fire Department indicated the search might extend to seven individuals, utilizing sonar to detect submerged vehicles.
The freighter’s crew remains aboard the ship, with ongoing investigations to determine the presence of a fuel spill, despite reports of a fuel odor in the vicinity. Officials have ruled out terrorism as a cause of the incident.
The FBI Baltimore field office is involved in the response to the bridge’s collapse, which saw vehicles, including a possible tractor-trailer, plummet into the river. Volunteer firefighters from Harford County are assisting with the response, as reported by The Post.
The cargo ship Dali, identified as the vessel involved, was seen emitting black smoke before potentially losing power and colliding with the bridge, according to The Baltimore Sun. Maersk, a Danish shipping and logistics company, confirmed the ship was transporting its cargo at the time of the incident.
The bridge, named after the author of the American national anthem and built in 1977, was one of the world’s longest continuous truss bridges, as noted by the National Steel Bridge Alliance.
This developing story continues to unfold, with at least 20 individuals reported in the water by CNN and the ship’s ownership and management details provided by Reuters. The Maryland Transportation Authority has advised motorists to seek alternative routes, closing Interstate 695 in both directions.
Stay tuned for further updates on this tragic event.