Tragedy struck in the early hours of this morning when a container ship carrying cargo from the port of Baltimore struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, a major structure that spans the Patapsco River in Maryland. The strike caused the bridge to collapse within seconds. Here’s what we know so far:
When did the incident happen?
The container ship struck the bridge at 1:28 a.m. local time Tuesday as the ship was making its way out of the harbor. Reuters says the ship departed its port at 12:53 a.m., meaning it struck the bridge just 35 minutes later.
What was the ship that hit the bridge?
The ship is a large container vessel called the Dali. It is a Singapore-flagged ship owned by Grace Ocean Pte Ltd and managed by Synergy Marine Group, according to Reuters. The ship was being chartered by shipping giant Maersk. It had been bound for Sri Lanka.
What is the Francis Scott Key Bridge?
The Francis Scott Key Bridge opened just over 47 years ago this month. It was named after Francis Scott Key, author of “The Star Spangled Banner.”
The bridge’s total length was 1.6 miles and carried four lanes of traffic as part of Interstate 695.
Was the Baltimore Key Bridge collapse a terror incident?
As of right now, there is no evidence that this incident was terror-related. CNN reports Baltimore police chief Richard Worley as saying, “There is absolutely no indication that there’s any terrorism, that this was done on purpose.”
Why did the ship hit the bridge?
That is unknown at this time. Several video cameras around the harbor recorded the bridge being struck. Moments before the ship came into contact with the bridge, the videos show that the vessel seemed to lose power, or at least electricity. As the ship approached the bridge, the lights on the vessel suddenly blinked off.
Has anyone been injured?
The number of injuries is unknown at this time. The ship’s manager, Synergy Marine Group, said the vessel’s crew and its two pilots were accounted for and there were no reports of injuries on the ship.
However, the same cannot be said for those passing over the bridge when the ship struck. It is thought that several motor vehicles, perhaps including a tractor-trailer, went into the waters as the bridge collapsed.
“Our sonar has detected the presence of vehicles submerged in the water. I don’t have a count of that yet,” CNN reports Baltimore fire chief James Wallace as saying. Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld also confirmed that “there were individuals on the bridge at the time of the collapse, working on the bridge, contractors for us.”
How have administration officials responded to the disaster?
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg has confirmed that he is in contact with Maryland and Baltimore officials and that rescue efforts remain underway. Meanwhile, a White House official has said, “Our hearts go out to the families of those who remain missing as a result of this horrific incident,” while indicating that there has been no sign there was “any nefarious intent” in the strike.
This story is developing . . .
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