In the early morning of March 26, a cargo ship departing from the port of Baltimore lost power and crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The ship crashed into one of the pillars, collapsing the whole bridge in seconds. Moments before the cargo ship impacted the bridge, the ship’s operators issued a mayday call. Eight construction workers were working on the bridge when it collapsed. Two of the workers were rescued following the collapse, divers found two other bodies, and the other four workers are still missing.
The ship moved at eight knots, impacting the bridge and collapsing in seconds. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the boat, known as the Deli Cargo Ship, underwent regular maintenance at the port of Baltimore before departure. In the past, the ship had issues with the gauges, but after a standard examination, no problems were found with the ship. Moments before crashing into the bridge, the ship was seen with its lights flickering and black smoke emitting out the pipe of the boat.
Only two of the eight construction workers on the bridge survived the collapse. The crew who was operating the ship reported no injuries from the crash. The Mayday call allowed authorities to block off the entrance before the ship hit the bridge. Since the crash happened at 1:30 AM, only eight workers were on the bridge. According to AP News, over 30,000 cars travel across the bridge daily. Due to the bridge’s collapse, ship traffic will be halted, and jobs at the port will be stopped until ship traffic resumes.
Following the collapse, the federal government took over the rebuilding cost, by approving a sum of $60 million to remove the debris. The Coast Guard, Army, and Navy started removing the bridge and ship from the port on the 29th of March. After the ship crashed into the bridge, 56 containers holding hazardous materials were breached and entered the river. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, some of the materials in the containers included flammables, corrosives, and lithium-ion batteries. Although these chemicals are dangerous, there is no current indication that the water will be hazardous to humans.
The collision between the Deli Cargo ship and the Francis Scott Key Bridge has left vast changes in the Baltimore area. The collapse of the bridge disrupted not only the transportation and port lines, but also took human lives. Going forward, the city of Baltimore will work towards clearing the river and rebuilding a new bridge so the port can continue operations.
