World

Baltimore bridge collapse: ship lost power and issued mayday call

Two people were rescued from the water, and officials said six people were still unaccounted for

Photo taken from the social media site X, formerly Twitter, of Tim Groom of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, US, which collapsed after a large boat collided with it early on Tuesday morning, causing multiple vehicles to fall into the water
Photo taken from the social media site X, formerly Twitter, of Tim Groom of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, US, which collapsed after a large boat collided with it early on Tuesday morning, causing multiple vehicles to fall into the water (Tim Groom/Tim Groom/PA Wire)
By Associated Press Reporters

A container ship lost power and crashed into a major bridge in the US city of Baltimore early on Tuesday, causing it to snap in several places and plunge into the river below.

The operators of the ship issued a mayday call moments before the crash that took down the bridge, enabling authorities to limit vehicle traffic on the span, Maryland’s governor said.

The ship crashed into one of the bridge’s supports, causing the structure to break apart.

Two people were rescued from the water, and officials said six people were still unaccounted for. All were believed to be those working on the bridge when it collapsed.

It tumbled into the water in a matter of seconds - a shocking spectacle that was captured on video and posted on social media. The vessel caught fire and thick, black smoke billowed out of it.

Join the Irish News Whatsapp channel

The crash happened long before the busy morning commute in what one official called a “developing mass casualty event”.

Brandon Scott, mayor of Baltimore, which is in the state of Maryland, said: “Never would you think that you would see, physically see, the Key Bridge tumble down like that.

“It looked like something out of an action movie,” Mr Scott said, calling it “an unthinkable tragedy”.

Authorities said a crew of unknown size was working on the bridge at the time of the collapse and that sonar had detected cars in the water, which is about 50ft (15m) deep.

The temperature in the water was about 47F (8C) in the early hours of Tuesday, according to a buoy that collects data for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Baltimore Bridge collapse
Baltimore Bridge collapse (PA Graphics/PA Wire)

Earlier, Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told The Associated Press: that several vehicles were on the bridge at the time of the collapse, including one the size of a tractor-trailer truck.

The bridge came down in the middle of night when traffic would be lighter than during the day, when thousands of cars traverse the span.

Mr Cartwright called the collapse a “developing mass casualty event”.

Synergy Marine Group - which manages the ship, called the Dali - confirmed the vessel hit a pillar of the bridge at about 1:30am while it was in control of two pilots, who are local specialists who help navigate vessels safely into ports. The ship is owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd.

File photo shows the Francis Scott Key bridge before the collapse
File photo shows the Francis Scott Key bridge before the collapse (Alamy Stock Photo)

It said all crew members, including the pilots, were accounted for and there were no reports of any injuries.

From a vantage point near the entrance to the bridge, jagged remnants of its steel frame were visible protruding from the water, with the on-ramp ending abruptly where the span once began.

Mr Cartwright said that some cargo appeared to be dangling from the bridge, which spans the Patapsco River at the entrance to a busy harbour.

The river leads to the Port of Baltimore, a major hub for shipping on the East Coast. Opened in 1977, the bridge is named after the writer of The Star-Spangled Banner, the US national anthem.

Agencies reported receiving emergency calls around 1.30am reporting a vessel travelling outbound from Baltimore that had struck a column on the bridge, causing it to collapse.

Several vehicles were on the bridge at the time, including one the size of a tractor-trailer truck.

The temperature in the river was around 47F (8C) in the early hours of Tuesday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

From a vantage point near the entrance to the bridge, jagged remnants of its steel frame were visible protruding from the water, with the on-ramp ending abruptly where the span once began.

Synergy Marine Group - which owns and manages the ship called the Dali - confirmed the vessel hit a pillar of the bridge at about 1:30am while it was in control of two pilots.

It said all crew members, including the pilots, were accounted for and there were no reports of any injuries.

Mayor Brandon M Scott and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr posted that emergency personnel were responding and rescue efforts were underway.

The Maryland Transportation Authority said: “All lanes closed both directions for incident on I-695 Key Bridge. Traffic is being detoured