Ship Collision Causes Partial Collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge

Early Tuesday morning, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore experienced a partial collapse after a collision with a ship, local authorities reported.

The bridge, which spans Route 695 across the Patapsco River southeast of the Baltimore metropolitan area, was the site of the incident.

At approximately 1:35 a.m. local time on Tuesday, reports emerged indicating that workers might have fallen into the water during the collision, according to a spokesperson from the Baltimore City police.

Details provided by Baltimore Fire Department Battalion Chief Glenn Kukucka revealed that a large container ship struck the bridge overnight.

Furthermore, there were individuals on the bridge at the time of the collision. Chief Kukucka noted that the vessel involved sustained visible damage.

The U.S. Coast Guard received notification at 1:27 a.m. ET about the collision involving a motor vessel. 

The vessel in question was identified as the 948-foot DALI vessel.

 In response, the Coast Guard dispatched three response boats, with pollution responders en route from the Sector Maryland-National Capital Region.

What caused the collision between the ship and the Francis Scott Key Bridge?

According to shipping data, the container vessel flying the Singapore flag is under the management of Synergy Marine Group. 

Despite CNBC’s request for comment, there was no immediate response from Synergy Marine Group. Data regarding marine traffic indicated that the ship was en route to Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Maersk, a prominent shipping company, confirmed its chartering of the vessel. 

The company stated that the container vessel DALI, operated by the charter vessel company Synergy Group, was carrying cargo belonging to Maersk customers. 

Fortunately, no Maersk crew members were onboard at the time of the incident. 

Maersk expressed a commitment to closely monitor investigations conducted by authorities and Synergy Group, promising to keep their customers informed.

In response to the bridge collapse, the office of Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced that emergency personnel remained at the scene. 

Governor Moore declared a state of Emergency, coordinating efforts with federal, state, and local agencies.

 The governor emphasized ongoing rescue efforts and pledged to assess and respond to the tragedy alongside relevant authorities.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott took to social media to address the incident, expressing awareness and engagement with emergency personnel.

 Mayor Scott affirmed his communication with key stakeholders, including the Baltimore Fire Chief, Governor Moore, County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., and Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman.

“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,” the governor said.

“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.”

“I’m aware of and en route to the incident at the Key Bridge. I have been in contact with @BaltimoreFire Chief Wallace, @GovWesMoore @JohnnyOJr, and @AACoExec. Emergency personnel are on scene, and efforts are underway,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott on social media.

In conclusion, the partial collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore following a ship collision has prompted swift responses from local and state authorities. 

As investigations unfold and rescue efforts continue, coordination between governmental agencies and stakeholders remains crucial in addressing the aftermath of this tragic incident.