Over Baltimore Harbor, a steel arch-shaped truss bridge came crashing down after being struck by the Singapore-flagged cargo ship Dali en route to Sri Lanka’s capital of Colombo.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore issued a state of emergency proclamation, directing federal aid to the state.
This port is the second busiest in the mid-Atlantic area, and the ship’s cargo might make it difficult for ships to enter and exit the port. According to Synergy Marine Group, the owner and management of the vessel, the collision between the ship and the bridge occurred under the direction of two pilots.
There were no casualties or injuries among the crew members. Six people on the bridge at the time of the collapse are presumed dead.
“Absolutely no indication” exists that the Dali deliberately slammed into the bridge, said to Richard Worley, commissioner of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to a declassified report from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Dali’s captains informed authorities when they “lost propulsion” as they departed the port.
The Maryland Transportation Authority said you may use the I-95 or I-895 tunnels to cross the bay. However, they also noted that cars carrying hazardous items can’t use the tunnels and must instead use the western part of I-695 to avoid them.
The tragic events started early Tuesday morning when the 984-foot cargo ship Dali reported losing power and sent out a mayday signal only seconds before crashing into a bridge support at 8 knots, or around nine mph. Sonar helped rescue workers find five automobiles in the icy water, but officials still don’t think anybody was inside.
According to their findings, the occurrence was accidental and not terroristic. Two individuals were pulled out of the water; one was unharmed and declined medical attention, while the other was sent to a trauma center for critical injuries.
About eight years ago, the Dali accidentally destroyed a wharf at Belgium’s Port of Antwerp-Bruges.
