Federal authorities have initiated a detailed investigation into the incident where a large cargo vessel collided with a significant bridge shortly after departing from the Port of Baltimore early on a Tuesday. The vessel had reported a loss of power moments before the collision, alerting officials who then quickly acted to halt vehicular traffic and commence evacuation efforts to prevent further disaster.
On that Tuesday afternoon, there was a pressing search for six construction workers who were previously engaged in pothole repairs on the Francis Scott Key Bridge but were unaccounted for following the collapse. Rescue operations were being conducted by divers and emergency teams utilizing boats and helicopters, under the observation of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which has taken the lead on the investigation, delaying further investigative actions until the search efforts conclude.
Maryland’s Governor Wes Moore described the incident as a horrific accident, dismissing any speculations of a terrorist act—a view supported by the FBI. The bridge is a section of Interstate 695.
There was an initial concern for drivers potentially trapped in their vehicles underwater in the Patapsco River. However, an emergency alert from the Singapore-flagged ship, the Dali, allowed for timely traffic cessation at both ends of the bridge, a move praised by federal and state officials for likely saving many lives.
President Biden, addressing the nation, commended the prompt action taken to block the bridge traffic, acknowledging it as a life-saving decision. He assured ongoing search and rescue operations by the Coast Guard and efforts by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to clear the channel to resume maritime activities in Baltimore. He also committed federal funds to aid in the port’s reconstruction.
Further information includes the NTSB’s efforts to obtain ship recorders for investigation purposes, although they refrained from boarding the ship immediately to avoid interfering with rescue operations.
Despite the emergency mayday call from the ship, the road maintenance crew remained on the bridge when the incident occurred. Two workers were later rescued from the water, with one being hospitalized and released the same afternoon.
The cargo ship Dali, measuring 985 feet in length, struck a bridge pillar around 1:30 a.m., as stated by the ship’s owners. The ship had departed Baltimore at 1 a.m., heading towards Colombo, Sri Lanka. All crew members, including two harbor pilots guiding the ship at the time, were safe and accounted for, with no reported injuries aboard.
An inspection of the Dali conducted in Chile the previous year identified a deficiency in the ship’s propulsion and auxiliary machinery, specifically related to its gauges and thermometers. The ship’s ownership declined to comment on this report.
The bridge, named after Francis Scott Key, the Maryland native who penned the American national anthem, was inaugurated in 1977 and serves approximately 30,000 commuters daily, according to Maryland officials.
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