- The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore has collapsed into the Patapsco river below after being struck by a ship
- Up to 20 people, along with numerous vehicles, are believed to have entered the water when the bridge fell – search and rescue operation under way
- State of Emergency declared in Maryland.
The Baltimore Francis Scott Key Bridge has collapsed after it was hit by a container ship, and it is feared there are multiple casualties as people and vehicles were on the bridge at the time of its collapse.
About 1:30am local time a large container ship hit a pillar of the bridge, which soon after completely collapsed into the Patapsco River below. The 2.6-likometre bridge carried the Interstate 695 over the river, and there were numerous vehicles on it at the time.
The cause of the incident, which has been declared a mass casualty incident by the authorities, has not yet been discovered. However, video showed smoke billowing from the ship.
A search and rescue operation is under way as it is believed 20 people who were working on the bridge at the time are in the water. Kevin Cartwright, director of communications of the Baltimore City Fire Department, said a team of divers are carrying out search and rescue operations. He added that temperatures around the port are currently around 30 °F (-1°C).
The container ship, named ‘Dali’ is managed by Synergy Marine Group under a Singapore flag – which doesn’t necessarily mean where it is from, more where it is usually overseen – has reported no casualties on board and did not sink because of the bridge collapse.
Governor of Maryland, Wes Moore, has declared a state of emergency in Maryland following the collapse of bridge.
“We are working with an interagency team to quickly deploy federal resources from the Biden Administration,” he said, before thanking the “brave men and women who are carrying out efforts to rescue those involved and pray for everyone’s safety.”
The Baltimore Francis Scott Key Bridge was built in 1977 and is a vital route to and from the Port of Baltimore, one of the biggest shipping ports on the US East Coast. It was named after the man who wrote The Star-Spangled Banner.
