Six people, believed to be part of a road construction crew, are presumed dead after Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday morning. The collapse occurred when a 984-foot cargo ship struck the bridge's pillar.
Victims and Rescue Efforts
Eight individuals were on the bridge during the collapse. Two people were rescued, with one taken to the hospital and subsequently discharged.
Incident Details
Video footage captured the moment the bridge structure fell into the water as the ship collided with one of the pillars. Analysis suggests that the ship's lights flickered and veered off course before the impact. The ship's crew issued a distress call before the collision, prompting authorities to halt traffic on the bridge.
Response Efforts
Dive teams from various state and local agencies were deployed to assist in search-and-rescue operations. The Coast Guard announced the suspension of active search-and-rescue operations, transitioning to a different phase.
Investigation and Rebuilding Efforts
Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, with the National Transportation Safety Board examining the bridge's construction and structure. Rebuilding the bridge is expected to be a lengthy and costly process. President Joe Biden has expressed the federal government's commitment to covering the full cost of reconstruction, potentially utilizing funding from the Federal Highway Administration and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
