The historic Francis Scott Bridge over the Patapsco River in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, collapsed after being hit by a Singapore-flagged cargo ship, Dali, at around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Just before the accident, the ship’s crew members had appealed for help. After the accident, many people and cars fell from the bridge into the river.
The historic Francis Scott Bridge built over the Patapsco River in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, collapsed at around 1.30 am on Tuesday after being hit by the Singapore-flagged cargo ship ‘Dali’.
Just before the accident, the ship’s crew members had appealed for help. After the accident, many people and cars fell from the bridge into the river. Rescue workers rescued two people from the river. Rescue workers are still searching for six missing people
The ship’s driver had sent an assistance request
All 22 crew members of this ship are Indians and all are safe. Maryland Governor Wes Moore said that the driver of the cargo ship had requested for help just before the accident. It is believed that due to an electrical problem the ship hit the pillar of the bridge and the bridge collapsed.
Preliminary investigation is pointing towards an accident. No evidence of terrorism has been found in the incident. The state transport secretary said eight people were on the bridge at the time of the accident and six were still missing. At the time of the accident, the workers were repairing potholes on the bridge.
Before the accident, crew members had informed the authorities on board about an electrical problem. It is believed that due to electrical problem the ship collided with the pillar of the bridge and the bridge collapsed. The media report quoted the intelligence report as saying that the ship had lost its balance while leaving the port.
#BREAKING
US News: Bridge collapses in Baltimore, Maryland. We wish safety to all passersby. pic.twitter.com/wT3Wzr1ujh
— Lotfi GHAZOUANI (@Lotfi_Ghazouani) March 26, 2024The ship caught fire after the accident
This ship was going from Baltimore to Colombo. The Port of Baltimore has been closed to traffic until further notice. Fire Department spokesperson Kevin Cartwright said that the ship caught fire after the accident but the fire was brought under control in time.
The vessel is owned by Grace Ocean Private Limited and the company that manages the ship, Synergy Marine Group, said that all 22 crew members, including the two drivers, are Indians. The mishap has not resulted in any casualties. The accident’s causes are being looked into.
Video shared on YouTube showed the ship hitting the bridge. In the video, headlights of vehicles running on the bridge are visible. As soon as the ship collided, the bridge fell into the water and the ship caught fire.
This ship crashed in Belgium in 2016
The cargo ship ‘Dali’, which hit the bridge in Baltimore, USA, crashed at the port of Antwerp in Belgium in 2016. The cargo ship Dali ran aground while trying to leave the North Sea container terminal on July 11, 2016, Port of Antwerp officials said. However, the port authorities did not provide information about the cause of the accident.
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