Baltimore: In a recent update on the cargo ship collision with Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) offered crucial insights into the tragic incident. According to officials, law enforcement had a mere 90-second window early Tuesday to respond to distress calls, swiftly halting traffic and initiating evacuation efforts.
As per the officials, a vigilant police officer, already patrolling the area, sprang into action to warn construction workers of impending danger. The incident involved the vessel DALI, operated by Synergy Marine Group, a renowned Singapore-based company overseeing a vast fleet of 660 ships worldwide. . Twenty-one crew members and two pilots were aboard the DALI at the time of the incident.
The Singapore-flagged cargo ship Dali “lost propulsion” as it was leaving the Baltimore harbour and warned Maryland officials of a possible collision with the bridge, CBS News reported.
The incident took place at 1:30 am (US Time). The Baltimore City Fire Department described the collapse as a mass casualty incident as media reports tell that many vehicles fell in the river. Rescuers were searching for at least seven people in the water.
According to the Maryland government website, the Port of Baltimore handled more than 52 million tons of foreign cargo valued at over $80 billion last year, ranking it eighth among US ports in total. According to his statement, Baltimore’s mayor is aware of the state’s bridge collapse tragedy. The crew faced difficulties searching for twenty people who had fallen into the water because of freezing issues and poor visibility at the location. The US Coast Guard and the Baltimore City Fire Department are participating in the rescue effort. The temperature is approximately -1 degrees Celsius.
