In the US city of Baltimore, a highly loaded container ship struck a bridge, causing it to collapse. This is what we currently know. The US city of Baltimore saw a massive bridge collapse following the impact of a highly loaded container ship. There are still many unanswered mysteries, one of which is how the ship lost control.
This is what we currently know:
Consequently, What Happened?
The container ship Dali, under the flag of Singapore, was headed to Sri Lanka from Baltimore when it collided with a concrete pier that supported the Francis Scott Key Bridge at around 1:30 p.m. local time. At the time, the bridge’s potholes were being fixed by an eight-person construction crew.
They and nearly the whole bridge fell into what officials estimated to be about 50 feet (15 meters) of freezing water shortly after the crash. The ship had just moments before sent out a Mayday call alerting everyone to its power outage. This prompted authorities to quickly close the bridge to traffic, possibly sparing lives.
Divers, boats, planes, and advanced sonar and infrared equipment were all involved in a desperate search and rescue mission.
Amount of Casualties: How Many?
At 19:30 on Tuesday, officials decided to end the search since they thought no one was still alive due to the low temperature and passing time.
Two workers were recovered from the river, and the remaining six are thought to be dead. While the other was badly hurt and taken to the hospital right away, the first one was unharmed.
Regarding whether there were still individuals trapped in cars that might have been on the bridge when it fell, there was considerable misunderstanding.
James Wallace, the chief of Baltimore’s fire department, claimed sonar had located cars in the water, but he was unable to provide more information.
Authorities “do not believe” that any persons are trapped in cars, according to state Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld, although Maryland Governor Wes Moore stated that the inquiry is still underway.
None of the Dali’s crew members were hurt, according to the ship’s managers at Synergy Marine Group.
What Caused the Collapse?
Just before the collision, the Dali sent out a Mayday call, informing everyone that it had lost power and propulsion. What exactly triggered the power loss is still unknown.
The ship is shown turning dark twice in the minutes prior to the collision on CCTV footage. Additionally, a cloud of smoke is visible prior to the impact.
According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, the Dali had lowered its anchors as part of its emergency protocols before the collision. By doing this, a ship that is out of control can go more slowly.
Citing Synergy Marine Group, the authority stated, “It was unable to maintain the desired heading and collided with the Francis Scott Key bridge.”
According to the authority, the ship passed two inspections conducted abroad in 2023.
A collision with a vessel of such size might not have adequately protected the bridge’s primary support components, according to some experts.
“This massive cargo vessel would have had a significant momentum upon impact, especially when laden with cargo,” Toby Mottram, a professor of structural engineering at the University of Warwick, stated.
It is clear that the pier was unable to sustain the force of the crash. According to Mottram, the degree of the damage to the superstructure of the bridge seems out of proportion to its origin.
What Happens Next?
While the rescue operation continues, traffic is being diverted away from the bridge and the port has been closed by the authorities “until further notice.”
According to officials, the focus of the reaction is now more on recovery than on search and rescue.
Additionally, they are keeping an eye out for potential fuel leaks from the damaged Dali.
Moore issued an emergency proclamation.
The region is predicted to suffer greatly as a result of the collapse. The destruction of the bridge will impact traffic in the Baltimore area, and the debris clogging the river may cause lengthy delays for cargo.
In terms of the value and volume of foreign cargo handled, the Port of Baltimore ranks as the ninth busiest major US port. It directly supports over 140.000 employment in addition to over 15,000 other jobs.
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