BALTIMORE: Six workers were reported missing and presumed dead due to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore Harbor, Maryland, United States early Tuesday morning (March 26).
This terrible accident was triggered by a large cargo ship that was disabled due to losing power and hit the bridge, causing one of the busiest ports on the US East Coast to be closed.
The Singapore-flagged cargo ship Dali, which was bound for Sri Lanka, collapsed a large section of the bridge
U.S. Coast Guard and Maryland State Police officials said that, based on the cold water temperature and the length of time that had passed since the bridge collapsed, the chances of finding the six missing people alive were slim to almost non-existent.
The rescue team managed to evacuate two survivors, one of whom had to be hospitalized.
They are currently searching for more victims in the Patapsco River after a large metal section of the 2.57 km long bridge collapsed into the freezing water in the midst of early spring.
However, active search and rescue operations were suspended about 18 hours after the tragedy, authorities said.
The ship reported a power failure before the collision, allowing crews to stop traffic on the bridge before it collapsed.
“By successfully stopping cars from crossing the bridge, these men are heroes. They saved countless lives,” Maryland Governor Wes Moore said at a news conference.
The bridge was determined to be up to standard and had no structural problems, Moore added.
There was also no evidence of malicious action, officials said.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott described a scene of convoluted metal hurtling into the sky.
“It was like a scene from an action movie. It was something you never thought you would see,” he said.
A video posted on YouTube shows the ship crashing into the bridge in the dark. Vehicle lights were visible on the bridge as the ship plunged into the water and caught fire.
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the closure of one of the busiest shipping lanes in the US would be in place until further notice which would certainly impact supply chains.
The Port of Baltimore handles more automotive cargo than any other U.S. port — more than 750,000 vehicles in 2022, according to port data.
General Motors and Ford Motor will divert affected deliveries, but the companies said the impact will be minimal.
Work crews had repaired holes in the bridge at the time of the collapse, and sonar detected a vehicle underwater, 50 feet deep at that point, said Paul Wiedefeld, Maryland Secretary of Transportation.
The 288.95-metre vessel, the length of three football pitches placed end to end, experienced a momentary loss of power and lowered anchor as part of emergency procedures before the collision, its management company, Synergy Marine Pte Ltd in Singapore said.
Dali, which is owned by Grace Ocean Pte Ltd, hit one of the bridge pillars, according to Synergy. All 22 crew members on the ship are confirmed to be safe.
The shutdown also threatens to disrupt supplies of goods ranging from coal to sugar. This could create congestion and increase delays and costs on the East Coast, experts say.
President Joe Biden said the Coast Guard responded quickly to a mayday call and praised the quick action of Maryland transportation officials who closed the bridge before it was hit for saving many lives.
At the White House, Biden promised to visit Baltimore, 40 miles away, as soon as possible and said he wanted the federal government to pay for rebuilding the bridge.
“I ordered my team to mobilize at all costs to reopen ports and rebuild bridges as quickly as possible,” Biden said. The bridge, named after the writer of the United States national anthem, opened in 1977.
Tuesday’s disaster was the worst bridge collapse in the United States since 2007, when the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis collapsed into the Mississippi River, killing 13 people.
