Rescuers searched for survivors after the 2.57 km-long Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in the US port of Baltimore in the early hours of Tuesday, the 26th of March, when a container ship crashed into it, sinking cars and sending about 20 people into the Patapsco River, reports Reuters.
Rescuers pulled out two survivors, one of whom was in “very serious condition”, while the search for the others continues.
Baltimore City Fire Department spokesman Kevin Cartwright said up to 20 people and numerous vehicles had fallen into the river and described it as a massive disaster that would require the involvement of several services over several days.
The ship “lost propulsion” as it left port and the crew on board told Maryland officials that they had lost control of the ship, ABC News reported, citing a US intelligence report.
Watch this. There appears to be two power losses. Then disaster. #baltimorebridge pic.twitter.com/zmqqVGC3zD
— David Vance (@DVATW) March 26, 2024
The fire department became aware of the bridge collapse around 1.30 a.m., when several calls were received that a vessel had crashed into the Kee Bridge in Baltimore, Cartwright said. Baltimore police said they were notified at 1.35am local time.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore declared a state of emergency to quickly deploy federal resources to deal with the emergency.
Morning daylight reveals the consequences of the Scott Key Bridge collapse.
?#BREAKING: Morning Daylight reveals the aftermath of the mass casualty event of the Scott Key Bridge collapse
?#Baltimore | #Maryland
Watch As morning daylight approaches, it reveals the devastating aftermath of an early morning incident after a large cargo ship from… pic.twitter.com/zzXBuUB5m0
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) March 26, 2024
According to LSEG vessel tracking data, the vessel was identified as the Singapore-flagged container ship Dali. The registered owner of the vessel is Grace Ocean Pte Ltd and the operator is Synergy Marine Group, according to LSEG.
Synergy Marine Corp said that the Dali struck one of the bridge pillars
and that all crew members, including the two pilots, were found safe and well.
Baltimore is the busiest US port for shipping cars, handling more than 750 000 vehicles in 2022, according to the Maryland Ports Administration.
The bridge, named after Francis Scott Key, author of the US national anthem The Star-Spangled Banner, opened in 1977.
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