Early Tuesday, a cargo ship collided with a key bridge in Baltimore, causing a significant section of it to collapse into the river below. This incident threatens to disrupt the local shipping industry and traffic for months. Six workers on the bridge at the time of the crash are missing and feared dead. Authorities had a warning just before the crash, allowing them to reduce traffic on the bridge, but the impact was devastating, with part of the bridge landing on the ship and catching fire.
The missing individuals were part of a construction crew working on the bridge. Efforts to find them have shifted from rescue to recovery, with plans to resume the next day. This disaster happened well before the morning rush hour on a bridge that serves millions of vehicles annually.
Rescue teams managed to save two people from the water; one was released from the hospital shortly after. It’s believed no one was in the vehicles that also fell into the river. Witnesses and officials were shocked by the scale of the destruction, likening it to a scene from an action movie.
The crash’s aftermath will likely create significant logistical challenges, affecting not just Baltimore but potentially the entire East Coast’s shipping routes. The bridge is a crucial part of the infrastructure leading to the Chesapeake Bay and beyond.
The ship, managed by Synergy Marine Group and owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd, was under pilot guidance when it struck the bridge. All crew members were accounted for after the incident. The ship was en route to Sri Lanka, operating under a Singaporean flag.
The bridge, vital for local and regional transportation and commerce, had been inspected recently, with no critical issues reported. The U.S. government, recognizing the bridge’s importance, has committed to funding its reconstruction.
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