BALTIMORE — A container ship rammed into a major bridge in Baltimore, causing it to snap in a few places and plunge into the Patapsco River below in the early hours of Tuesday, March 26, 2024.
The incident occurred at approximately 1:27 a.m., when the vessel from Singapore, named Dali, struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Several vehicles fell into the chilly waters, and rescuers were initially searching for at least seven people.
Two individuals were pulled from the waters under the bridge, with one reportedly in serious condition. The ship caught fire after the collision, and thick, black smoke was seen billowing out of it.
Motorists have been urged to avoid the southeast corridor of I-695. The Outer Loop is closed at MD 10 (exit 2) and the Inner Loop is closed at MD 157/Peninsula Expressway (exit 43). As alternate routes for Harbor Crossings, motorists can use the I-95 or I-895 tunnels.
There is no specific and credible information to suggest any ties to terrorism at this time. The investigation is ongoing.
Governor Wes Moore released the following statement, declaring a state of emergency:
“My office is in close communication with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, and Baltimore County Fire Department as emergency personnel are on the scene following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
I have declared a State of Emergency here in Maryland and we are working with an interagency team to quickly deploy federal resources from the Biden Administration.
We are thankful for the brave men and women who are carrying out efforts to rescue those involved and pray for everyone’s safety.
We will remain in close contact with federal, state, and local entities that are carrying out rescue efforts as we continue to assess and respond to this tragedy.”
The bridge opened on March 23, 1977, and was named after Francis Scott Key, author of the “Star Spangled Banner”. It was the outermost of three toll crossings in Baltimore’s Harbor and completed the Baltimore Beltway project. Though signposted as I-695, it was officially part of the state highway system.
The bridge was 8,636 feet long and saw an estimated 11.5 million vehicles annually. With a main span of 1,200 feet, it was among the longest of its kind. It was a designated route for hazardous materials trucks, as they are banned from the Baltimore Harbor and Fort McHenry tunnels.
We will continue to provide updates as they become available.
Contact our news desk at news@thebaynet.com
TV News now saying Ship was having ‘propulsion issues’ soon after pulling away from the pier…and they were drifting @ 8 knots down the river. At some point the ship’s pilot doesn’t order an anchor drop? Maybe he thought, “I’ve got this.”?
They did drop anchor, do you have any idea what it takes to stop something that heavy?
One more reason I wont use large bridges