After the collapse, at least six people remain missing, two have been rescued, and rescue teams are working against the clock to search for possible survivors of a tragedy that could claim more victims.
The Baltimore ship operator says all crew members are safe, at least 6 people missing
U.S. authorities suspended rescue efforts for the six missing individuals in the Baltimore bridge collapse (Maryland) on Tuesday, concluding they likely perished after so many hours in the water.
Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld told the press that the low water temperature, its depth of about 50 feet, and the darkness at the time of the incident are hampering rescue efforts.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore declared a state of emergency due to the collapse, which blocked parts of I-95, the most important highway on the U.S. East Coast.
Maryland transportation authorities have implemented detours and alternate routes for vehicles, with delays of over an hour expected following the early Tuesday collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge over the Patapsco River.
Baltimore authorities revised the number of missing people down to six from seven on Tuesday after a cargo ship struck the bridge, causing it to collapse.
The collision of the cargo ship “Dali” with a central pillar of the bridge, about 38 miles northeast of Washington, D.C., sent vehicles into the river and disrupted traffic on I-695, part of the Interstate 95 system.
The cargo ship experienced failures
The cargo ship ‘Dali’ notified authorities that it had lost control and propulsion as it was leaving the Port of Baltimore (U.S. East Coast), shortly before colliding and causing the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, according to a declassified report from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
An inspection last June in the Chilean port of San Antonio found issues with the “propulsion and auxiliary machinery” of the Singapore-flagged cargo ship Dali, according to the Equasis database.
The June 27, 2021, inspection found deficiencies in the propulsion system, specifically in “measuring devices, thermometers, etc.”
These issues led to two subsequent inspections, but the cargo ship, which is 984 feet long and capable of carrying 95,000 tons, was not detained and was allowed to continue operating after addressing the deficiencies.
Authorities indicate that approximately 31,000 vehicles cross the bridge daily, totaling over 11 million per year.
Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that search efforts for missing individuals continue and urged divers in the Baltimore area to follow the instructions of rescue agencies.
The over 1.2-mile-long bridge, part of Interstate 695, is one of the most important routes between New York and Washington.
The collapse occurred after the cargo ship “Dali” struck a pillar in the central segment of the four-lane bridge, which is vital for communications in the northeastern U.S., around 1:30 a.m. local time (5:30 GMT).
The collapse sent several vehicles into the Patapsco River, where at least seven people have gone missing.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden ordered the collapsed Baltimore bridge to be rebuilt and the now-blocked port to be reopened as soon as possible.
Baltimore, a major seaport even before the American Revolution, located in the Chesapeake Bay, is the most populous city in Maryland, with over 600,000 residents in the urban core and 2.7 million in its metropolitan area. EFE
