OAN’s James Meyers
8:34 AM -Tuesday, March 26, 2024
A container ship rammed into a major bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday morning, causing it to snap and plunge into the river. Multiple vehicles fell into the water as rescuers began looking for survivors in a search and rescue mission.
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An unknown number of workers were on the bridge at the time of the catastrophic crash, and emergency responders have said they are looking for at least seven people who were missing. Currently, two people have been rescued from the water and it is unclear how many more people might be in the chilly waters of the busy harbor.
The cargo ship smashed into one of the bridge’s supports, causing the structure to snap like a twig. It fell into the water within a few seconds, a shocking display that was captured on video and posted all over social media. The ship then caught fire, and thick, black smoke began to come out of the ship.
“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 (D-Md.), calling it “an unthinkable tragedy.”
One person rescued from the water was in good condition and refused treatment. The other sustained serious injuries and was being treated in a trauma center, Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said in a news conference at the scene.
Underwater drones and sonar showed several cars were in the river, Wallace said.
“We are still very much in an active search-and-rescue posture at this point,” Wallace said. Rescuers would search the surface of the water, in the river and on the deck of the ship, he said.
Additionally, Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D-Md.) said he declared a state of emergency and was working to deploy federal resources.
Furthermore, Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said all vessel traffic into and out of the port would be suspended until further notice, but the facility will be open to trucks.
According to data from Marine Traffic, the Dali was leaving from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka and flying under a Singapore flag. The container ship is estimated to be 985 feet long and 157 feet wide.
The bridge is 1.2 miles long or more than 8,500 feet. The main section measures 1,200 feet and is considered one of the longest continuous truss bridges in the world upon its completion, according to the National Steel Bridge Alliance.
The bridge is used daily, with close to 31,000 vehicles a day using the bridge, which adds up to 11.3 million vehicles per year, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority.
The river and the Port of Baltimore are both key to the shipping industry, generating over $3.3 billion per year and directly employing over 15,000 people.
This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.
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