Singapore Container Ship Collides with 2.5 Km Bridge: Major Accident in U.S. Port of Baltimore

Defense News ,U.S :-  In the early hours of Tuesday, a huge container ship, measuring 948 feet long, crashed into a four-lane bridge at the Baltimore port in the United States. This collision caused a section of the bridge to collapse, sending cars and people into the river below.

Rescuers managed to save two people, but one of them is still in the hospital. They are continuing to search for more survivors in the Patapsco River. The bridge that collapsed was a long one, stretching about 1.6 miles (2.57 km), known as the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

The governor of Maryland, Wes Moore, mentioned that the initial investigation suggests it was an accident, and there's no evidence of terrorism involved. At the time of the collision, eight people were on the bridge, but six are still missing. This incident forced authorities to close one of the busiest ports in the country.

The U.S. Coast Guard received reports of the collapse at 1:27 a.m. and immediately started a search and rescue operation. The container ship, flagged from Singapore, caused significant damage to the bridge, turning parts of it into a tangled mess of metal.

Before the collapse, maintenance work was ongoing on the bridge, with repair crews fixing potholes. Sonar scans revealed vehicles submerged under about 50 feet of water. The Maryland Transportation Secretary confirmed that the bridge met safety standards, and there were no known structural problems.

According to reports, the crew aboard the ship had alerted authorities about a power issue before the crash. President Joe Biden was briefed about the incident by the White House.

Witnesses described the scene as shocking and surreal. Jayme Krause, who was working nearby, felt the ground shake and rushed to see what happened. She described seeing the entire bridge vanished, leaving nothing behind.

The container ship, named the Dali, experienced a loss of propulsion as it was leaving the port. Crew members informed Maryland officials about losing control of the vessel just before the collision occurred.

Operations at the Port of Baltimore were suspended until further notice, affecting various industries. The closure of this major port could lead to disruptions in the supply chain, affecting the transportation of cars, coal, and other commodities like sugar.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge served as a vital route for drivers traveling between New York and Washington, bypassing downtown Baltimore. It was one of the primary crossings over Baltimore Harbor, with heavy traffic of about 31,000 cars per day.

The ship involved in the collision, the Dali, is owned by Grace Ocean Pte Ltd and managed by Synergy Marine Corp. Fortunately, all crew members, including the pilots, were safe, and there were no reported injuries among them.

The Mayor of Baltimore, Brandon Scott, described the aftermath as something out of an action movie, with twisted metal scattered around. There were fears of a mass-casualty event, with as many as 20 people possibly in the river along with vehicles.

Video footage posted online captured the ship crashing into the bridge, causing it to collapse. The impact resulted in a fire on the ship, adding to the chaos of the situation.

This incident marks one of the worst bridge collapses in the United States since 2007 when the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis fell into the Mississippi River, claiming 13 lives. It's also a rare event, as such major collapses from ship impacts haven't occurred in decades.

Authorities, including the National Transportation Safety Board, are launching investigations to understand the causes behind the collapse. The governor declared a state of emergency to mobilize federal resources quickly, and the FBI is also involved in the response efforts.

As of now, it's uncertain if other vessels sustained damage or if port operations have resumed. The shipping company Maersk, which chartered the Dali, expressed shock and sympathy for those affected by the incident.

The Port of Baltimore handles a significant volume of automobiles, light trucks, and various goods, serving major automakers like Nissan, Toyota, and General Motors. It's a crucial hub for imports and exports, and disruptions here could have widespread impacts on industries and consumers.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge, named after the author of the Star Spangled Banner, has been a key transportation artery since its opening in 1977.