A livestream caught the moment a massive ship crashed into Maryland's Francis Scott Key Bridge and caused it to collapse
Matthew LohTue, March 26, 2024
A YouTube livestream captured when a large ship rammed into a support beam of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday.
A large ship crashed into a bridge in Maryland early Tuesday morning, causing it to collapse.
A livestream captured the moment at 1:28 a.m. when the vessel struck what appeared to be a bridge support beam.
Per ship tracking data, the vessel is Singapore-flagged and is listed at 984 feet long.
A YouTube livestream captured when a large ship struck a bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, causing it to collapse in the water early Tuesday.
The vessel appears to approach a support beam of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which serves the I-695, at around 1:24 a.m. local time, according to video from StreamTime Live. The stream of the shipping channel is funded by Bay Area Mechanical Services.
Per the video, the ship's lights turn off minutes before striking the bridge. As the vessel nears the bridge, the lights then turn back on.
The ship impacts the beam at around 1:28 a.m. local time, and the bridge collapses in less than 10 seconds, with debris falling on top of the ship.
When BI reviewed ship tracking data of the area at around 2.50 a.m. local time, a Singapore-flagged container ship, the Dali, was broadcasting its signal from beneath the bridge, surrounded by several Coast Guard-listed vessels.
The Dali's owner is listed as Grace Ocean, a Singapore-based firm, and its manager is listed as Synergy Marine Group, which is also headquartered in Singapore.
The ship is also listed as 300 meters long, or about 984 feet.
A Grace Ocean staff declined a request for comment from BI when reached on the phone. Synergy Marine Group did not respond to calls from BI.
The bridge has been closed off because of a "collapse due to a ship strike," the Maryland Transportation Authority wrote in a statement on X on Tuesday morning.
The Baltimore Police Department told ABC News that it was "notified of a partial bridge collapse, with workers possibly in the water."
Representatives for the Maryland Transportation Authority did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider
Charles Ventura and Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY
Updated Tue, March 26, 2024 at 3:45 AM MDT·
BALTIMORE − The Francis Scott Key Bridge − a major span critical to East Coast shipping − collapsed early Tuesday after it was struck by a large cargo ship, prompting a massive emergency response for at least seven people in the water.
The Baltimore City Fire Department described the collapse as a mass-casualty incident. "We received several 911 calls at around 1:30 a.m., that a vessel struck the Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing the collapse." Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told Reuters. "This is currently a mass casualty incident and we are searching for seven people who are in the river."
The Associated Press reported that several vehicles had plunged into the river below and said the ship had caught fire. “This is a dire emergency,” Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told AP. “Our focus right now is trying to rescue and recover these people.”
Baltimore Mayor Brendon Scott said on X that he was aware of the incident and was en route to the bridge. "Emergency personnel are on scene, and efforts are underway," he said.
Ship tracking data from LSEG shows a Singapore-flagged container ship, the Dali, at the location along the Key Bridge where the accident occurred. Reuters, citing LSEG data show, reported that the registered owner of the ship is Grace Ocean Pte Ltd. and is managed by Synergy Marine Group.
Synergy Marine Corp said the Dali collided with one of the pillars of the bridge and that all its crew members, including two pilots, have been accounted for and there were no reports of any injuries.
USA TODAY contacted the U.S. Coast Guard for comment early Tuesday.
"All lanes closed both directions for incident on I-695 Key Bridge," the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) said on X early Tuesday. "Traffic is being detoured."
How vital is the Francis Scott Key Bridge?
The Francis Scott Key Bridge, named for the author of the "Star Spangled Banner," is a 1.6-mile, 4-lane bridge that crosses over the Patapsco River, according to the MDTA. It opened in 1977.
The port’s private and public terminals handled 847,158 autos and light trucks in 2023, the most of any U.S. port. The port also handles farm and construction machinery, sugar, gypsum and coal, according to a Maryland government website.
Contributing: Reuters
Baltimore bridge collapse sends authorities scrambling to rescue people from river
Euronews
Tue, March 26, 2024
A major bridge in Baltimore snapped and collapsed after a container ship rammed into it early Tuesday, sending several vehicles plummeting into the river below.
The vessel appears to have hit one of the supports of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the roadway to break apart in several places and plunge into the water, according to a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. The ship caught fire and appeared to sink.
Rescuers are now searching for anyone in the water.
"This is a dire emergency," Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told The Associated Press. "Our focus right now is trying to rescue and recover these people."
He added that some cargo appeared to be dangling from the bridge.
Emergency responders were searching for at least seven people believed to be in the water, Cartwright said, though he said it's too early to know how many people were affected. He called the collapse a "developing mass casualty event."
The bridge, which opened in 1977, spans the Patapsco River, a vital artery that along with the Port of Baltimore is a hub for shipping on the East Coast. It is named for the writer of "The Star-Spangled Banner."
He said agencies received 911 calls around 1:30am reporting that a ship leaving Baltimore had struck a column on the bridge. Several vehicles were on the bridge at the time, including one the size of a tractor-trailer truck.
Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. posted that emergency personnel were responding and rescue efforts were underway.
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