3/26/2024 Updated 26. 3. 2024, 21:31|Source: ČTK, Reuters, ČT24
News at 12: Bridge collapse in Baltimore (source: ČT24)
A two-and-a-half-kilometer-long road bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, collapsed after the Singaporean-flagged container ship Dali crashed into it. It is still unclear whether the collapse caused casualties, according to firefighters, several vehicles fell into the water and authorities say at least six people are missing. Two people have been rescued so far, one of them is in a serious condition. The vessel’s crew is fine. The state governor has declared a state of emergency. According to ABC News, the collision was caused by the vessel becoming unmanageable after losing propulsion. The ship already caused damage in Antwerp years ago.
Local police received a report that a large vessel crashed into the four-lane Francis Scott Key Bridge over the Patapsco River around 1:30 a.m. local time (6:30 a.m. CET), Reuters reported. Footage released by Fox Baltimore shows the dark structure of the bridge, which then sinks into the water.
Several vehicles were on the bridge at the time of the crash, including one the size of a tractor-trailer. Baltimore Fire Department Communications Chief Kevin Cartwright described the bridge as having “some cargo hanging” on the bridge this morning, creating dangerous and unstable conditions that have emergency responders working cautiously. “This is a dire state of emergency,” he summed up.
Aerial footage of a container ship that crashed into a road bridge in Baltimore (Source: Reuters)
Eight workers were repairing potholes on the bridge at the time of the collapse, two of whom managed to be saved, one is in a serious condition in hospital, the other did not require care. Maryland officials believe these are the only people who fell into the water, but have not confirmed it 100 percent.
“It’s an absolutely iconic bridge. I drove through it myself last week. But we know that bridges can be replaced, this one will be replaced, but not lives. This is not a nightmare, but an unspeakable tragedy for our city and our state. But we can handle it,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott to CT.
In a special speech dedicated to the disaster, US President Joe Biden said that the Port of Baltimore is one of America’s largest water transport hubs. “That port is 15,000 jobs,” he noted. He added that he intends to push for the federal government to pay for the reconstruction of the bridge. The President noted that in this way, repairing an important part of the local infrastructure would be more effective than if the government first demanded compensation from the company that owns the ship in question.
Complicated search
Data on the missing vary slightly. Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace spoke of a search for seven people before noon CET, but said the number could change. The search operation continues, a large area needs to be searched. The Coast Guard is using boats and helicopters to search.
According to a buoy that collects data for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the river temperature was about eight degrees Celsius on Tuesday morning.
According to CT reporter Bohumil Vostal, who is monitoring the situation on the spot, the sonars showed several cars under the surface of the river, which is up to fifteen meters deep. He recalled that workers were supposed to work on the bridge and repair it. Michal Guba, the chief instructor of the training of police divers of the Police of the Czech Republic, also considers water currents to be a problem. “They can be carried several tens, hundreds of meters without washing ashore,” he said.
“The conditions are difficult. It’s a deep harbor corridor, 12 to 15 meters, strong currents, wind, cold water,” noted Baltimore Councilman Johnny Olszewski.
“We are grateful for the brave men and women working to save those affected and pray for everyone’s safety,” said Maryland Governor Wes Moore. He added that he is working to deploy federal resources. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was also on the scene.
Baltimore authorities say there are no signs of terrorism, but they are investigating the cause.
The ship may have lost power
The Singaporean-flagged cargo ship Dali crashed into the pier of the bridge. According to MarineTraffic.com, the vessel left Baltimore at 1 a.m. local time and was bound for Colombo, Sri Lanka. Synergy Marine Group, which operates the ship, said it had no reports of injuries on board.
The cause of the collision has not yet been determined and the vessel’s owners and managers are cooperating with authorities, Synergy Marine Group added. The ship sailed on the order of the shipping company Maersk.
Server ABC News however, they claim the ship “lost power” as it was leaving port. Subsequently, she is said to have warned the Maryland authorities about the loss of control of the vessel and a possible collision. The US website refers to an unclassified document from the US Cyber Security Agency CISA. Governor Moore later confirmed reports that the ship was experiencing propulsion problems and had sent out a distress call before the collision. Thanks to this, it was possible to slow down road traffic and prevent other vehicles from falling into the water.
Loss of drive can occur, for example, due to engine failure or power failure. Shortly before hitting the Baltimore bridge, the ship’s lights flashed, the vessel veered off course and swerved toward the pier, a CNN analysis of ship tracking data by MarineTraffic confirmed.
In July 2016 the same boat she bumped into to the wharf in Antwerp when she tried to leave him on her way to Bremerhaven. According to server vesseltracker.com has caused significant damage.
The port of Baltimore is the 20th busiest in the United States, and it is even number one in the import of cars, Vostal said. He reminded that the state of Maryland is of great economic importance and is also important, for example, for Czech business.
“Many are already asking what the impact will be on shipping. All traffic, as far as the port of Baltimore is concerned, is now suspended, it affects about four dozen merchant ships, it will probably have an impact on the delay of deliveries,” the correspondent points out.
The collapse of the bridge is almost certain to cause a logistical nightmare on the East Coast for months, if not years, halting shipping at the Port of Baltimore and curtailing freight and commuter traffic, the AP noted. “The loss of this bridge will devastate the entire region and the entire East Coast,” said state Sen. Johnny Ray Salling.