Saturday, 02 November 2024

Baltimore Bridge Collapses, Resulting In ‘Mass Casualty’ Event After It’s Struck By Cargo Ship


A US Coast Guard helicopter flies over the Dali container vessel after it struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge that collapsed into the Patapsco River in Baltimore, Maryland, US, on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. The commuter bridge collapsed after being rammed by the Dali ship, causing vehicles to plunge into the water.Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The 1.6-mile-long Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore completely collapsed early Tuesday morning after it was struck by a container ship, resulting in what authorities have described as “a mass casualty incident.”

Emergency responders, including dive teams, are searching for at least seven people believed to be in the frigid water, but that number could likely change, the Associated Press reported. Two people were rescued from the water; one person was unharmed while the second person was rushed to the hospital in serious condition, Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said.

“We are still very much in an active search and rescue posture at this point, and we will continue to be for some time,” Wallace said.

Video footage of the bridge collapse appeared to show the container ship striking one of the bridge’s supports.

The ship that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge is chartered by the Danish shipping company Maersk, the company told CNN. The ship was carrying Maersk customers’ cargo, according to the company. The vessel, which is called Dali, was on its way to Sri Lanka.

“We are horrified by what has happened in Baltimore, and our thoughts are with all of those affected,” Maersk said in a statement.

Baltimore Police Chief Richard Worley added, “There is absolutely no indication that there’s any terrorism, that this was done on purpose.”

Another video of the collision and bridge collapse showed the ship’s lights going out before it hit the bridge.

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The White House said it is “closely monitoring” the bridge collapse, saying there is “no indication of any nefarious incident.”

This is a developing story; refresh the page for updates. 


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