"There are workers above... The bridge just collapsed" The tense 90 seconds for sailors and police

Thanks to Prompt Response by Sailors and Police, Major Disaster Prevented

In Baltimore, Maryland, USA, it has been understood that the crew and police acted urgently just before the cargo container ship Dalli collided with a bridge. The crew sent a distress signal moments before the accident, and the police controlled traffic on both sides of the bridge within just 90 seconds, preventing a major disaster.

The American daily newspaper The New York Times (NYT) reconstructed the situation before and after the collision of the Dalli with the 'Francis Scott Key Bridge' at Baltimore Harbor based on radio records from Maryland traffic police.

Large Bridge at Baltimore Port Collapses Overnight Due to 'Ship Collision'. Photo by X (formerly Twitter) Capture

According to the report, the Dalli left the dock around 12:30 a.m. on the 26th (local time) under the guidance of two tugboats. Around 1:25 a.m., the tugboats separated and returned to the harbor, while the Dalli accelerated to about 10 miles per hour (approximately 16 km/h) as it approached the bridge.

However, shortly after, the Dalli's engine shut down, and the propulsion system stopped while warning lights blinked. Recognizing the emergency, the crew sent a "Mayday" distress signal around 1:27 a.m., prompting one of the tugboats returning to the harbor to change course and head back to the Dalli. The crew on board also moved quickly to restore the system. Although the emergency generator started, temporarily restoring lighting, radar, and steering devices, the Dalli ultimately lost propulsion and drifted toward the bridge.

At the same time, police on land quickly began controlling traffic. According to the Maryland traffic police radio records, one officer urgently said, "One of you on the south side, and one of you on the north side, must control all traffic on the bridge. A ship that just lost direction is approaching. We must stop traffic until they (the crew) regain control of the ship." Another officer said, "Traffic is being controlled now. I was driving but stopped in front of the bridge and will stop all traffic entering the bridge."

One minute later, the police also mentioned workers on the bridge. At that time, eight workers were repairing potholes on the bridge. They were immigrants from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico.

The radio records include a message saying, "Are there workers on the bridge?... There are workers up there," informing the site supervisor and suggesting they check if the workers can temporarily leave the bridge. Just before 1:29 a.m., an officer said the Baltimore Beltway road was closed and that they would check on the workers.

But less than 20 seconds later, the first report of the bridge collapse came in. An officer shouted over the radio, "The entire bridge has collapsed! Everyone move, everyone. The whole bridge just collapsed!"

The police repeatedly confirmed whether all traffic was controlled. Professor Staci Felkoski of the State University of New York, a former Navy admiral, said, "Considering the size and weight of the ship, it is difficult to stop the ship regardless of the propulsion used," adding, "With no power, there is little the Dalli's pilot or crew can do."