SINGAPORE, March 26 — The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is investigating the collision of a Singapore-registered vessel with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, United States.
The collision, described as a “mass casualty incident” by the Baltimore City Fire Department, occurred today at about 1.30pm Singapore time.
Huge spans of the 2.57km bridge collapsed, sending vehicles plunging into the Patapsco River.
According to MPA, the vessel, Dali, is a 95,000-gigatonne container vessel operating with 22 crew on board at the time of the incident.
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“MPA is in contact with the US Coast Guard and the ship management company to provide the necessary assistance,” it said, adding that it will also fully cooperate with the US Coast Guard in its investigations.
According to news reports, the vessel’s owners confirmed that it hit a pillar of the bridge. They said all crew members, including two pilots, were accounted for and there were no injuries on the ship.
TODAY has reached out to Grace Ocean, the registered owner of the vessel, and Synergy Marine, the management company, for further details.
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Search and rescue mission ongoing
The search for survivors is ongoing. Reuters reports that as many as 20 people, along with “numerous vehicles and possibly a tractor-trailer or a vehicle as large as a tractor-trailer”, could be in the river.
The operation is expected to last for “many days”, said Kevin Cartwright, spokesperson for Baltimore City Fire Department.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore has declared a state of emergency. In a statement, he said his office was working with an inter-agency team to deploy federal resources to assist with operations.
Footages of the collision have gone viral on social media. A senior journalist shared a video on X (formerly Twitter), depicting that the Dali had suffered two power outages before eventually striking one of the bridge’s support pillars.
In a matter of seconds, the towering structure crumbled, with the collapse unfolding in stages, as each segment sagged precariously before plunging into the river. Vehicles were sent crashing down into the water and the lights went out.
According to data from vessel tracking website Vessel Finder, the ship had a prior incident in 2016 in Antwerp, Belgium.
During the Antwerp incident, the vessel’s bow allegedly scraped against the quay upon departure from port, resulting in substantial damage. Authorities reportedly detained the vessel following the incident.
Weather conditions were reportedly favourable during the Antwerp collision. Responsibility for the incident was attributed to the ship’s master and pilot on board. There were no reported injuries. — TODAY