What happened in Baltimore on Tuesday morning?
A major bridge in Baltimore in the US state of Maryland collapsed after a container ship collided with it early on Tuesday, sending a number of vehicles into the chilly waters.
Rescuers pulled out two survivors, and were searching for more in the Patapsco River after reports that a 948ft Singapore-flagged container ship leaving port on its way to Sri Lanka had crashed into the 1.6-mile (2.57-km) Francis Scott Key Bridge, named after the author of the American national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner.
The state’s governor has declared a state of emergency to get federal resources quickly deployed. Joe Biden said search and rescue efforts were a “top priority” and that all indications were that the episode was a “terrible accident”.
What do we know about casualties?
Six people remain unaccounted for after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, authorities said – all believed to be construction workers who had been repairing potholes on the bridge. Two people have been rescued so far, with one of them in serious condition.
The temperature in the river was about 47F (8C) in the early hours of Tuesday, according to a buoy that collects data for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Several vehicles were on the bridge at the time of the crash, including one the size of a tractor-trailer.
What do we know about the ship and the cause of the collision?
Ship-tracking data showed the Dali – a 290-metre (948ft) cargo ship with a capacity of 10,000 containers – was at the location of the bridge where the accident occurred at about 1.30am ET (0530 GMT) on Tuesday. The vessel had left Baltimore at 1am and was headed for the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, according to the maritime data platform MarineTraffic.
Maryland’s governor, Wes Moore, said a preliminary investigation into the Key Bridge collapse “points to an accident”, and the FBI in Baltimore said the collapse of the bridge was not a result of terrorism.
The ship’s crew reported losing power and issued a mayday call moments before the crash took down the bridge, enabling authorities to limit vehicle traffic on the span, Moore said.
Video posted on social media showed the vessel ploughing into one of the bridge’s central supports in darkness, causing much of the bridge to give way as a number of vehicles fell into the Patapsco River below and the ship caught fire. Synergy Marine Group, the manager of the Dali, confirmed it had collided with one of the pillars of the bridge.
The same vessel was also involved in a collision while leaving the port of Antwerp, Belgium, in 2016.
How important is Baltimore port and what will the impact be on trade there?
The bridge leads to the Baltimore port, one of the busiest in the country and an important hub for shipping on the US east coast, especially in transporting road vehicles.
It is also the largest US port by volume for handling farm and construction machinery, as well as agricultural products, and a cruise terminal, according to Reuters.
Port traffic was suspended until further notice following the bridge collapse, and there will probably be grave consequences on commerce in the region.
The bridge’s collapse has revived scrutiny not just of this specific structure but also the overall health of bridges across the US, many of which are considered to be in poor condition. Maryland’s governor has said the bridge was “fully up to code”, while some experts have pointed out that the span, completed in 1977, was conceived before an age of supersized container ships.
What are the implications for road transport in Maryland?
With four lanes, the bridge is part of Interstate 695 and serves as a major route along the ring road that encircles the city. The bridge carries 11.3m vehicles a year, according to the Maryland transportation authority.
Authorities have called the incident a “major traffic alert” and closed all lanes in both directions of the I-695 Francis Scott Key Bridge. Highway signs as far south as Virginia have warned drivers of delays.
