Six people missing after cargo ship hits Baltimore bridge causing collapse
Parts of the Francis Scott Key Bridge remain after a container ship collided with one of the bridge’s supports on Tuesday. Picture: WJLA via AP
A container ship lost power and crashed into a major bridge in the US city of Baltimore early on Tuesday, causing it to snap in several places and plunge into the river below.
The ship crashed into one of the bridge’s supports, causing the structure to break apart like a toy.
BREAKING: Ship collides with Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse pic.twitter.com/OcOrSjOCRn
— BNO News (@BNONews) March 26, 2024
Two people were rescued from the water, and officials said six people were still unaccounted for. All were believed to be those working on the bridge when it collapsed.
The construction workers were repairing potholes, Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said at a news conference Tuesday.
The operators of the ship issued a mayday call moments before the crash that took down the bridge, enabling authorities to limit vehicle traffic on the span, Maryland’s governor said.
The ship, which is called Dali, reported losing power just before it struck a column on the bridge, authorities said. It tumbled into the water in a matter of seconds — a shocking spectacle that was captured on video and posted on social media. The vessel caught fire and thick, black smoke billowed out of it.
A preliminary investigation suggests that the crash was an accident and that there’s no credible evidence of a terrorist attack, Governor of Maryland Wes Moore said.
US president Joe Biden was being briefed on the collision, the White House said.
Speaking at a press conference in Washington, Mr Biden called the events in Baltimore a "terrible accident" and said that the ongoing search and rescue operation was the "top priority".
"Everything so far indicates that this was a terrible accident. At this time, we have no other indication. No other reason to believe there’s any intentional act here,” he said.
Mr Biden also said that the federal government would pay for the reconstruction of the bridge and that he intends to visit Baltimore soon.
He also said that the residents of Baltimore, and those waiting for news on their loved ones, were in his thoughts.
"We’re with you. We’re going to stay with you as long as it takes. You’re Maryland tough, you’re Baltimore strong," he said.
Earlier, Baltimore mayor Brandon Scott said: “Never would you think that you would see, physically see, the Key Bridge tumble down like that.
“It looked like something out of an action movie,” Mr Scott said, calling it “an unthinkable tragedy”.
Authorities said a crew of unknown size was working on the bridge at the time of the collapse and that sonar had detected cars in the water, which is about 50ft (15m) deep.
The temperature in the water was about 8C in the early hours of Tuesday, according to a buoy that collects data for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Jayme Krause was in the midst of another night shift at her workplace on shore when the cart of packages in front of her shook violently at around 2am. A coworker told her the bridge had collapsed and she ran out to look.
"I went over there, and sure as anything, it was gone, the whole bridge was just like, there was nothing there," she told Reuters in an interview.
"It was a shocking sight to see."
Earlier, Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told The Associated Press: “This is a dire emergency.”
He called the collapse a “developing mass casualty event”, though he didn’t know at the time how many people were affected.
He added that some cargo appeared to be dangling from the bridge.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore declared a state of emergency and said he was working to get federal resources deployed.
The FBI was also on the scene.
Agencies reported receiving emergency calls around 1.30am (5.30am Irish time) reporting a vessel travelling outbound from Baltimore that had struck a column on the bridge, causing it to collapse.
Several vehicles were on the bridge at the time, including one the size of a tractor-trailer truck.
From a vantage point near the entrance to the bridge, jagged remnants of its steel frame were visible protruding from the water, with the on-ramp ending abruptly where the span once began.
Synergy Marine Group — which owns and manages the ship — confirmed the vessel hit a pillar of the bridge at about 1.30am while it was in control of two pilots.
It said all crew members, including the pilots, were accounted for and there were no reports of any injuries.
Danish shipping giant Maersk said it had chartered the vessel, which was carrying its customers’ cargo. No Maersk crew and personnel were on board.
The collapse caused Maersk share at the Nasdaq Copenhagen to plummet 2% in early Tuesday trading.
Mayor Brandon M Scott and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr posted that emergency personnel were responding and rescue efforts were underway.
The Maryland Transportation Authority said: “All lanes closed both directions for incident on I-695 Key Bridge. Traffic is being detoured.”
The collapse is sure to create a logistical nightmare for months, if not years, for the East Coast, shutting down ship traffic at the Port of Baltimore and snarling cargo and commuter traffic.
The port's private and public terminals handled 847,158 autos and light trucks in 2023, the most of any US port.
The port also handles farm and construction machinery, sugar, gypsum and coal, according to a Maryland government website.
The bridge, which opened in 1977, spans the Patapsco River, a vital artery that along with the Port of Baltimore is a hub for shipping on the East Coast. It is named for the writer of The Star-Spangled Banner.
Tuesday's disaster may be the worst US bridge collapse since 2007 when the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis collapsed into the Mississippi River, killing 13.
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