NAfter the collapse of a large car bridge in the US state of Maryland, authorities assume that six people are missing. The US Coast Guard announced on Tuesday evening (local time) that the active search for survivors would be discontinued. Given the water temperature, it is no longer expected that anyone will be found alive after so many hours. A Coast Guard representative said they did not want to risk the health of rescue workers because of the dangerous currents and debris in the water.
A huge container ship rammed the four-lane, more than 2.5 kilometer long car bridge on Tuesday night, causing it to collapse. After the accident, police and rescue workers searched for several missing people from the air and in the water for many hours – divers and infrared and sonar technology were also used. Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said the missing people were believed to be construction workers. They had therefore repaired potholes on the bridge.
According to Maryland Governor Wes Moore, the Singapore-flagged container ship was heading toward the Francis Scott Key Bridge “at eight knots, which is extremely fast.” Everything pointed to an accident, they said.
The almost 290 meter long ship named “Dali” was supposed to sail from Baltimore to Sri Lanka, as the “New York Times” reported, citing the US Coast Guard. The Danish shipping company Maersk announced that it had temporarily chartered the ship, which was operated by the charter company Synergy Group. Accordingly, there were no Maersk personnel on the ship. The Danish container shipping company is the second largest in the world behind industry leader MSC.
According to initial findings, there was a problem with the ship’s power supply before the accident. US media reported, citing the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, that there was a “temporary loss of propulsion,” which is why the “Dali” was unable to maintain its course. According to US authorities, the crew managed to inform authorities in Maryland via a distress signal that they had lost control of the ship. Officials on land were apparently able to stop traffic and prevent more cars from getting onto the bridge.
According to official information, the first emergency calls were received around 1:40 a.m. (local time). Emergency services were on site as early as 1:50 a.m. Surveillance camera videos shared on social media showed the ship ramming one of the support pillars, causing large parts of the bridge to collapse into the water.
The US Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the incident. It will probably take some time until official results are available about the cause of the accident. The emergency services initially concentrated on searching for the missing people.
The Port of Baltimore is one of the most important maritime ports of call in the USA – especially for the import and export of cars and light trucks. According to government figures, around 850,000 vehicles are shipped through the port every year. Around 15,000 jobs depend on it. The bridge also destroyed an important traffic artery on the east coast of the USA. According to the US government, around 30,000 vehicles crossed the bridge per day before the accident.
The bridge, named after the poet and author of the American national anthem “Star Spangled Banner”, Francis Scott Key, was opened 47 years ago. It was one of three toll plazas at the Port of Baltimore, one of the busiest ports in the United States. “The Key Bridge,” as the steel structure was called, also carried the four-lane I-695 highway over the Patapsco River. Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said on Tuesday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has now opened an investigation into the bridge collapse. The investigators found no evidence of a terrorist attack.
The White House also confirmed that it had found no “nefarious intentions.” “Our thoughts are with the families of the people who have been missing since the terrible incident,” said a spokesman. American President Joe Biden will be kept informed about the rescue operation. Biden himself promised federal aid at a press conference in the White House on Tuesday evening, according to German time. He also announced that he wanted to ensure that the costs of reconstruction were borne entirely by the federal government. Biden promised Maryland Gov. Wes Moore to take every step to rebuild the bridge and reopen the Port of Baltimore, which lies just beyond the Francis Scott Key Bridge, “as quickly as humanly possible.”
According to US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the collapse of the car bridge in Baltimore also has economic consequences. Because of the importance of the port behind it, we are already preparing for supply chain problems “that we know will come,” said Buttigieg on Tuesday afternoon (local time) at a press conference on site. These would not only affect the region around Baltimore , “but the entire US economy.”
The disaster reminded many Americans of the collapse of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay, Florida, 44 years ago. At that time, a freighter caused parts of the bridge to collapse when it went out of control during high winds and hit a pier. 35 people, including the passengers of a coach, were killed in the accident.
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