Search for six survivors called off after Baltimore bridge collapse, Biden calls ‘terrible accident’

Video/updateA mile-long bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, largely collapsed after a cargo ship rammed into a pier overnight. Cars and people fell into the water, according to the local fire brigade. Two people have been rescued, one of them is in critical condition. Six people are still missing. According to the coast guard, there is no chance that they are still alive. US President Joe Biden calls it ‘a terrible accident’.

This concerns the Francis Scott Key Bridge, built in 1977, an important road bridge of approximately 2.5 kilometers long. Around 1:30 a.m. local time (6:30 a.m. Dutch time), the first reports came in that a ‘large vessel’ had hit the pillars of the steel bridge.

According to reports from ABC, the container ship Dali, sailing under the flag of Singapore, had recently become adrift. The Port Authority of Singapore said on Tuesday afternoon that the ship “lost its propulsion” and was therefore unable to maintain its course. The crew is said to have dropped the ship’s anchors as part of the emergency procedure. The ship’s crew warned the authorities in advance that a collision seemed unavoidable.

According to Governor Wes Moore of Maryland, there was little time after that, but authorities were able to stop several vehicles due to a distress signal from the ship. As a result, the cars were not driving on the bridge when it collapsed. “Those people are heroes, they saved lives,” Moore said about the employees who were able to stop the vehicles.

^{Story continues below the map.}

Unfortunately, we cannot show this social post, live blog or otherwise because it contains one or more social media elements. Accept the social media cookies to still show this content.

Quest

According to local media, the ship caught fire and several vehicles fell into the water. Rescuers searched all day Tuesday for six people. Although it was rumored that a body had been recovered on Tuesday afternoon local time, it later emerged that city councilor Phylicia Porter CNN had misspoken. Two of the six missing people are from Guatemala, the country’s consulate in Baltimore reports. There is no longer any chance of finding survivors, the coast guard reported on Tuesday evening. On Wednesday morning, the search continues for the bodies of the six missing people, in the hope that they can be recovered.

The authorities also assume that five vehicles ended up in the water. In any case, a vehicle was spotted with sonar. The temperature of the water is around freezing point. Boats, helicopters and divers were used to search for victims. The search is made more difficult by the cold water and the large search area.

^{Story continues below the photo.}

Paul Wiedfeld, the state’s transportation secretary, said the missing people were construction workers repairing potholes. The governor has told reporters, according to the BBC announced that the maintenance of the bridge was ‘completely in order’. The bridge was an important connection to Baltimore, a city next to the capital Washington. About 31,000 vehicles drove over it every day.

US President Joe Biden spoke from the White House of ‘a terrible accident’. According to him, the rescue operation now has the highest priority. “I understand that every minute now feels like an eternity.” He also expressed his intention to cover the costs of repairing the bridge as much as possible. He further reported that the port, one of the most important in the United States, must be made accessible to shipping again as soon as possible. Broken bridge sections now block access. The Port of Baltimore handles more cars and light trucks than other U.S. ports.

^{Story continues below the tweet.}

Unfortunately, we cannot show this social post, live blog or otherwise because it contains one or more social media elements. Accept the social media cookies to still show this content.

Half an hour on the road

The three hundred meter long ship itself is said to be damaged and leaking oil. The Synergy Marine Group vehicle flies the flag of Singapore. The ship’s final destination was Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. The Dali was only 30 minutes away on a 27-day journey.

According to American media, the container ship had a collision with a quay in Antwerp in 2016. This was confirmed later today by the port authority, Port of Antwerp-Bruges. The damage was limited at the time, both to the ship and the quay.

All crew members have now been contacted, according to the Singapore company. There are no reports of injuries, but the crew is still on board. According to the company, there was also no pollution after the ship’s collision. The Dali had two specialists on board who assisted the captain in navigating a specific area.

The Dali near the wreckage of the bridge. © Getty Images

State of emergency

Governor Wes Moore of the US state of Maryland has declared a state of emergency after the bridge collapse. He thanks everyone involved in the rescue effort. “We are grateful for the brave men and women who tried to save those involved and pray for the safety of everyone.”

The Francis Scott Key Bridge spans the Patapsco River. The bridge is part of the beltway around the metropolis of Baltimore. More than 11 million vehicles drive over the bridge every year. The bridge was considered an important part of the road network around Baltimore.

Car supply threatens to be affected by bridge collapse
The US automotive manufacturing supply chain is at risk of being disrupted by the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The financial news agency Bloomberg reported this on Tuesday.

“It is a large port with a lot of transit,” said John Lawler, the financial director of the American car giant Ford. “We will have to divert parts through other ports on the East Coast or elsewhere in the country.” Competitor General Motors also says it is working to divert ships carrying parts that would come to the port of Baltimore. The port is currently closed.

The port of Baltimore has also been the most important in the United States for the vehicle trade for years. Last year, around 847,000 cars and light trucks passed through. European car manufacturers such as BMW, Volkswagen and Mercedes are also active in and around the port.