Baltimore bridge collapses after ship strikes it, rescuers search for several people

A major bridge in Baltimore snapped and collapsed after a container ship rammed into it early Tuesday, leading to a search for several people.

Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said at a mid-morning news conference that six people were unaccounted for after the incident at Francis Scott Key Bridge.

The U.S. Coast Guard said multiple crews and boats are searching for survivors.

Chief James Wallace of the Baltimore Fire Department, at an earlier press availability, said divers, as well as sonar and infrared technologies, are being utilized in the search. Sonar has detected the presence of vehicles below the water’s surface, he said.

The temperature in the river was about 8 C in the early hours of Tuesday, according to a buoy that collects data for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Biden says government will help rebuild

U.S. President Joe Biden expressed condolences to victims and their relatives for the “terrible accident,” and said the federal government would provide whatever assistance was necessary to help in the search and rescue effort, as well as the rebuilding of the infrastructure.

“Fifteen thousand jobs depend on that port, and we’re going to do everything we can to protect those jobs and help those workers,” said Biden, speaking from the White House.

“It’s my intention that the federal government is going to pay for the entire cost of reconstructing that bridge, and I expect Congress to support my effort,” he said.

WATCH l Hear an engineering expert on questions to be addressed, possible rebuild timeline:

A bridge collapse from ship impact ‘extremely unusual’: expert

Replacing the collapsed bridge in Baltimore could take a number of years, says David Knight, a U.K. engineering specialist. He expects a significant investigation and a ‘design period’ before construction of an entirely new structure can begin.

Wiedefeld confirmed reports of workers being on the bridge at the time of the collapse engaged in pothole repair, not structural issues with the bridge. He said it was too soon to tell how long vessel traffic through the busy Port of Baltimore, a major transit for shipping on the East Coast, would be closed.

The Port, in a statement, stressed that trucks are still being processed at its terminals, but that vessel traffic is “suspended until further notice.”

Officials said two people were rescued from the water — one who didn’t require medical attention and another person who was transported to a local hospital.

Mayday call helped halt traffic, governor says

It is not believed that any vehicles were driving on that stretch of the bridge when it collapsed, they said.

According to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, that was attributable to the ship’s crew issuing a mayday call, which allowed transportation officials to halt traffic on the bridge.

Agencies received emergency calls around 1:40 a.m. ET reporting that a ship leaving Baltimore had struck a column on the bridge. Wallace said there’s no indication of a fuel spill, though an odour of diesel has been detected.

Cartwright said some cargo appeared to be dangling from the bridge, which spans the Patapsco River, a vital artery that along with the port is a hub for shipping on the East Coast.

The ship caught fire for a time, and thick, black smoke billowed out of it.

Ship reportedly en route to Asia

The Dali ship was headed from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka, and flying under a Singapore flag, according to data from Marine Traffic. The container ship is about 300 metres long and about 48 metres wide, according to the website.

Synergy Marine Group — which owns and manages the ship called the Dali — confirmed the vessel hit a pillar of the bridge at about 1:30 a.m. while two pilots were in control. It said all crew members, including the pilots, were accounted for and there are no reports of any injuries.

Danish shipping giant Maersk said it had chartered the vessel,which was carrying its customers’ cargo. No Maersk crew and personnel were on board.

Baltimore Police Department Commissioner Richard Corley said there was “absolutely no indication” the contact with the bridge was intentional.

The FBI was on the scene, and said there was no credible information to suggest terrorism. President Joe Biden was briefed on the matter.

Officials said that the Coast Guard were in contact with the ship’s crew.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge opened in 1977, named for the writer of The Star Spangled Banner. 

“Never would you think that you would see, physically see, the Key Bridge tumble down like that. It looked like something out of an action movie,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, calling it “an unthinkable tragedy.”

Scott refused to speculate as to how long it would take to rebuild the bridge in response to a reporter’s question, saying the focus should be on searching for any people who are missing.