Baltimore Bridge in the US Collapses After Collision with Cargo Ship...Major Disaster Averted by Distress Signal (Update)

6 of 8 Workers Missing on Bridge
No Signs of Terrorism... White House "Deploying All Federal Resources"

A large bridge near the port of Baltimore, Maryland, on the U.S. East Coast, collapsed on the night of the 26th (local time) after colliding with a large container ship that had just set sail. Eight workers who were working on the bridge fell, and six of them went missing. However, authorities prevented a major disaster by controlling vehicle access after receiving a distress signal sent by the ship just before the collision.

According to local media on the day, at around 1:30 a.m., the Singapore-flagged large cargo ship Dali collided with the 'Francis Scott Key Bridge,' which spans Baltimore Harbor.

As a result of the accident, the bridge quickly collapsed starting from the deck immediately after the collision. Eight workers who were working on the bridge at the time fell, two of whom were rescued while six remain missing. Among the two rescued, one is seriously injured and is receiving treatment in the hospital. A fire broke out on the ship due to the collision with the bridge but was immediately extinguished, and none of the 22 crew members of the Dali were reported injured.

Witfelt, the state transportation secretary, responded to questions about whether any vehicles passing over the bridge fell by saying, "It appears that only construction workers were present."

Initially, it was estimated that up to 20 people might be missing immediately after the accident, but a major disaster was averted as the ship sent a distress signal before the collision and vehicle access was controlled. Maryland Governor Wes Moore expressed gratitude to the authorities who controlled the bridge upon receiving the distress signal, saying, "They are heroes. They saved lives last night." The fact that the accident occurred during the early morning hours with low traffic also helped prevent a large number of missing persons.

Authorities are currently conducting underwater rescue operations while investigating the cause of the accident.

The White House concluded that there are no signs of terrorism and ordered the deployment of available federal resources for emergency response.

U.S. President Joe Biden held a press conference at the White House on the day, stating, "So far, the situation shows that this is a terrible accident," and added, "There is no credible reason or indication to believe there was intentional action." He continued, "Search and rescue operations for the missing are ongoing," and emphasized, "We will send all necessary federal government resources in response to this emergency."

He said, "Ship traffic and operations at the Baltimore port will be suspended until further notice," adding, "The waterways need to be cleared before ship traffic can resume." He also said, "Baltimore port is one of the largest shipping hubs in the United States, and we will get it operational as soon as possible," and added, "The federal government will cover all costs necessary to rebuild the bridge."

Meanwhile, the Dali, which caused the accident, was built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in 2015, with a capacity of 32,000 tons and a length of 290 meters, capable of carrying 9,700 containers. The owner is Grace Ocean, and the charterer is Maersk. The Dali departed Baltimore at around 1 a.m. on the day and was scheduled to head to Colombo, Sri Lanka.