Baltimore Key Bridge collapse: Temporary channel opens for boats working on bridge response
The cargo ship struck Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday.
A cargo ship crashed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday morning, causing a near-total collapse of the span and halting vessel traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore.
Six construction workers are believed to have fallen from the collapsing bridge into the frigid waters of the Patapsco River below. The bodies of two of the victims have been recovered so far, while four remain missing and are presumed dead, officials said.
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What to know about the collapse
The container ship Dali struck Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge at about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, partially collapsing the bridge, officials in Maryland said.
A local pilot was at the helm of the ship at the time, Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said.
The crash appeared to be accidental, not intentional, officials said.
Two construction workers were rescued and six went missing in the immediate aftermath of the collapse, officials said. The bodies of two of the victims were recovered from the water on Wednesday amid ongoing search and recovery efforts, while four remain missing and are presumed dead, officials said.
Ship's crew on board and cooperating with officials: Coast Guard
The ship's crew is still on board and is cooperating with officials, Vice Adm. Peter Gautier, deputy commandant for operations for the Coast Guard, said at Wednesday’s White House press briefing.
The ship "had a fairly good safety record," he noted.
Gautier also stressed that "there is no threat to the public from the hazardous materials on board."
"The real critical thing here is that, as you know, a portion of the bridge remains on the bow of that ship. And we will be coordinating very closely with the Army Corps of Engineers and their contractors to, first, affect the removal of that debris before the vessel can then be removed," Gautier said. "The vessel bow is sitting on the bottom because of the weight of that bridge debris on there, and there are underwater surveys happening by a remotely operated vehicle. Divers will be in the water today to complete that underwater survey."
The investigation into what caused the collision is ongoing.
"Anybody who is responsible will need to be accountable," Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said.
'If not for several factors … loss of life might have been in the dozens': Buttigieg
"If not for several factors," including the mayday call, the first responders’ quick action and the time of the day of the collision, the "loss of life might have been in the dozens," Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said at Wednesday’s White House press briefing.
Six construction workers were killed and one was hurt when a cargo ship struck Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.
"Work is undergoing to recover their remains and our thoughts and prayers are with their loved ones," Buttigieg said.
Buttigieg said he’s concerned about the local economic impact of the Port of Baltimore’s closure.
"No matter how quickly the channel can be reopened, we know that it can't happen overnight, and so we're going to have to manage the impacts in the meantime," he said. "We’re working to mitigate some of those impacts, including using tools that didn’t exist just a few years ago. Following the disruptions to supply chains from the COVID pandemic, President Biden's infrastructure package included the establishment of a new freight office within our department to help coordinate goods movement in ways that were not possible before."
"We are using it now to help the hundreds of different private supply chain actors get better coordinated to keep goods moving," Buttigieg said.
He said he’ll be meeting Thursday with shippers and other supply chain partners to "understand their needs" during this disruption.
"That said, the port of Baltimore is an important port, so for our supply chains and for all the workers who depend on it for their income, we’re going to help to get it open as soon as safely possible," he added.
10 other ships stuck in Port of Baltimore
Ten ships -- not including the Dali -- are stuck inside the Port of Baltimore, according to a new update by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
They are comprised of: three bulk carriers, one vehicle carrier, three logistics naval vessels, two general cargo ships and one oil chemical tanker.
An additional vehicle carrier is in the port but outside the site of the bridge collapse.
This list does not include additional tugboats, sailboats and private yachts that are also in a holding pattern as the Port of Baltimore remains closed.
The port said Tuesday vessel traffic in and out is "suspended until further notice."
-Noah Minnie and Elizabeth Schulze
Ship 'experienced momentary loss of propulsion': Singapore’s port authority
Dali, the container ship that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, "experienced momentary loss of propulsion" just before the collision, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore confirmed.
The Singaporean-flagged ship underwent and passed two separate inspections in June and September 2023, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said in a statement.
"Based on records, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore confirms that the vessel’s required classification society and statutory certificates covering the structural integrity of the vessel and functionality of the vessel’s equipment, were valid at the time of the incident," Singapore’s port authority said.
"In the June 2023 inspection, a faulty monitor gauge for fuel pressure was rectified before the vessel departed the port," MPA added.
-ABC News’ Laura Romero