The last moments before the collapse of a major bridge in Baltimore have been revealed with the vessel's crew issuing a desperate warning before they collided with a support beam, which resulted in the bridge collapsing into the water below.
According to an unclassified report, the container ship Dali "lost propulsion" as it was leaving the port in Maryland. It had previously been reported the ship had appeared to suffer some sort of system failure as it was seen on CCTV with the lights going out as it approached the bridge.
The crew on board the ship tried to warn Maryland officials that they had "lost control" and were likely going to collide with the bridge. The report said: "The vessel notified MC Department of Transportation (MDOT) that they had lost control of the vessel and an allision with the bridge was possible."
READ MORE: Baltimore Key bridge collapse LIVE: State of emergency declared amid 'mass casualty event'
The collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge after a collision with a cargo ship in Baltimore, Maryland (Anadolu via Getty Images)The ship crashed into one of the bridge's supports, causing the structure to snap and buckle at several points and tumble into the water in a matter of seconds. The report confirmed: "The vessel struck the bridge causing a complete collapse."
Airport worker dies 'after being sucked into aeroplane engine' in freak accident
The shocking incident, involving a 948-foot-long Dali operated by Singaporean company Synergy Group, was captured on video and posted on social media. The vessel caught fire, and thick, black smoke billowed out of it.
Investigations are ongoing but officials have ruled out the catastrophe as intentional or an act of terrorism. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott called the collapse "an unthinkable tragedy" as he added: "Never would you think that you would see, physically see, the Key Bridge tumble down like that. It looked like something out of an action movie."
Rescue personnel on the shore of the Patapsco River following the crash (JIM LO SCALZO/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)Fire Chief James Wallace said authorities "may be looking for upwards of seven people" but said that number could change and other officials wouldn't give figures. It was not clear if two rescued who were rescued were included in the seven cited by the fire chief.
Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said all vessel traffic into and out of the port would be suspended until further notice, though the facility was still open to trucks. Meanwhile, Governor Wes Moore declared a state of emergency and said he was working to get federal resources deployed. The FBI was on the scene, but Wiedefeld said terrorism was not suspected. President Joe Biden was briefed.
The steel frame of the Francis Scott Key Bridge sits on top of the container ship (AFP via Getty Images)Synergy Marine Group - which owns and manages the ship - confirmed the vessel hit a pillar of the bridge at about 1.30am while two pilots were in control. It said all crew members, including the pilots, were accounted for and there were no reports of any injuries.
The Dali was headed from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka, and flying under a Singapore flag, according to data from Marine Traffic. The container ship is about 985 feet (300 meters) long and about 157 feet (48 meters) wide, according to the website.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
