Tue 26 March 2024:
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed after a container ship ran into it.
Media reports said that the vessel crashed into the bridge at about 1:30am on Tuesday, catching fire before sinking.
Kevin Cartwright, of the Baltimore Fire Department, says up to 20 people are feared to be in the water after the collapse of the bridge.
“We understand up to 20 individuals may be in the Patapsco River right now as well as multiple vehicles,” he told CNN, saying officials were dealing with a “mass casualty multi-agency incident”.
He said agencies received 911 calls at about 1:30am reporting a vessel travelling outbound from Baltimore had struck a column on the bridge, causing it to collapse.
Baltimore bridge collapses after ship strike
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in the US city of Baltimore has partially collapsed after a ship collided with it.
Authorities say at least two people have been pulled from Patapsco River after the crash, with one seriously wounded. At… pic.twitter.com/YfVRT88N9Q
— INDEPENDENT PRESS (@IpIndependent) March 26, 2024
Multiple vehicles were on the bridge at the time, including one the size of a tractor-trailer.
“Our focus right now is trying to rescue and recover these people,” Cartwright told AP.
According to ship tracking data from LSEG, a Singapore-flagged container ship, the Dali, was along the bridge where the accident occurred.
The registered owner of the ship is Grace Ocean Pte Ltd and the manager is Synergy Marine Group, LSEG data showed, according to the Reuters news agency.
Synergy said it would issue a statement on the incident.
Synergy Marine Group has issued a statement on the ship’s collision with a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
The company said all crew members, including the two pilots, had been accounted for and there were no reports of any injuries.
“Whilst the exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined, the ‘Dali’ has now mobilised its Qualified Individual Incident response service,” the statement added, according to Reuters.
Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) says it is in contact with the US coastguard and the management company of the Singapore-registered ship involved in the incident.
“As the flag state, MPA will provide full cooperation to the U.S. Coast Guard in its investigations,” it said in a statement.
“MPA will also be investigating the incident.”
The authority said there were 22 crew members on the Dali at the time of the incident.
Cause of collision not yet clear: Ship managers
“Whilst the exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined, the ‘DALI’ has now mobilised its Qualified Individual Incident response service,” the company said in a statement, adding it is “fully cooperating with Federal and State government agencies”.
State of emergency declared in Maryland
“We are working with an interagency team to quickly deploy federal resources,” a statement posted on X said.
“We are thankful for the brave men and women who are carrying out efforts to rescue those involved and pray for everyone’s safety,” it added.
“We will remain in close contact with federal, state, and local entities that are carrying out rescue efforts as we continue to assess and respond to this tragedy.”
The 2.6km (1.6-mile), four-lane bridge spans the Patapsco River just southeast of central Baltimore. It opened in 1977 and carries more than 11 million vehicles annually. It is a major part of the road network around Baltimore, an industrial city on the US East Coast northeast of the capital, Washington, DC.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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