In Tampa, Florida, the recent collapse of a significant bridge in Baltimore has evoked memories of a tragic event that occurred decades ago in the Tampa Bay region.
In the early hours of Tuesday, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore suffered a catastrophic failure, crashing into the river below after a collision with a container ship.
The Associated Press has reported that during the night, the cargo ship struck one of the bridge’s supports, leading to its collapse.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott expressed his shock at the incident, stating, “Never would you think that you would see the Key Bridge tumble down like that. It looked like something out of an action movie,” and described it as “an unthinkable tragedy.”
This incident has brought back painful memories of a similar tragedy that struck Tampa Bay nearly 44 years ago.
On May 9, 1980, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge was the scene of a devastating accident when the Summit Venture, a 19,734-ton freighter, lost its way in fog and collided with the bridge, resulting in the deaths of 35 people.
Most of the victims were passengers on a Greyhound bus that plummeted 150 feet into Tampa Bay. Miraculously, Wesley MacIntire was the sole survivor; his truck landed on the deck of the freighter before falling into the water.
Following this tragedy, the original bridge was demolished, and a new Sunshine Skyway Bridge was completed in 1987.
Today, a memorial for the Sunshine Skyway Collapse stands near the southern end of the rest area along Tampa Bay, bearing the names of the 35 individuals who lost their lives in the disaster.