A frantic rescue operation is underway in Baltimore after a large container ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday, causing a major section to collapse into the Patapsco River with multiple vehicles falling into the waters below. Video obtained from The Guardian shows the moment of collision and collapse.
Maryland officials have declared a state of emergency as first responders desperately search for potential victims amid the chaos and debris. Governor Wes Moore said federal resources are being deployed to assist local teams already working to pull people from the chilly river after the pre-dawn catastrophe.
“We are working with an interagency team to quickly deploy federal resources…We are thankful for the brave men and women who are carrying out efforts to rescue those involved and pray for everyone’s safety,” Moore stated.
According to the Baltimore City Fire Department, as many as 20 people and multiple vehicles may have plunged into the Patapsco when the Singapore-flagged cargo ship Dali struck a column of the bridge causing a large section to give way. Dive and rescue teams rushed to locate victims, with reports of trapped vehicles, dangling cargo, and a diesel fuel spill.
“This is a dire emergency and a mass casualty event,” fire officials stated grimly, with witnesses reporting construction workers were pouring concrete on the span when it suddenly collapsed into the 48-degree river below.
The cause of the Francis Scott Key Bridge strike remains under investigation, but the U.S. Coast Guard has already launched a probe into the 948-foot Dali’s movements prior to the incident. The ship’s owner said all crew were accounted for with no injuries reported, according to Reuters.
Civic leaders including Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and County Executive Johnny Olszewski raced to the scene and urged prayers for those impacted by the unprecedented disaster. With the extent of potential loss of life still unknown, they directed residents to avoid the area as an army of police, Coast Guard and other agencies mobilized in a massive search effort.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge, a key artery across the Patapsco River carrying over 90,000 vehicles per day, collapsed just after 1:30 am when the large container vessel struck it. Maryland officials have already requested federal assistance in the rescue and eventual recovery efforts that are expected to take days, if not longer.
As daylight broke, the full scope of the catastrophe became clearer, with chunks of roadway visibly submerged and debris littering the waters where teams were still working feverishly to locate potential survivors. A dense plume of diesel fuel leaked from the stricken container ship added an environmental threat to the disaster scene.
