Early Tuesday morning, tragedy struck in Baltimore as the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River. The calamity occurred when the cargo vessel Dali, carrying a staggering 213-million pounds and flying a Singaporean flag, lost power and rammed into a structural pillar of the bridge. This incident has prompted a thorough investigation spearheaded by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), as six construction workers are now presumed dead following their efforts to repair potholes on the bridge at the time of the catastrophe.
The NTSB’s comprehensive inquiry is exploring various potential causes, including the alarming possibility that contaminated fuel contributed to the ship’s power loss. Before the devastating impact, crew members aboard the Dali reported flickering lights and a loss of propulsion, detailing the moment when “the vessel went dead, no steering power, and no electronics,” with a pervasive smell of burned fuel engulfing the engine room.
As the harrowing details emerge, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy underscored the collaborative nature of the investigation, stating, “This is a team effort.” Noteworthy factors such as the ship’s operations, its safety record, and the findings from more than 20 port state control inspections since its construction in 2015, including issues with the ship’s propulsion and auxiliary machinery, are being thoroughly reviewed.
While wild conspiracy theories circulate on social media, with right-wing personalities entertaining ideas of cyberattacks and terror-related motives, factual evidence and official updates steer clear of such speculation. The FBI has established that there is no known terrorism link to the event.
The community and the nation have been left reeling, as the bridge’s collapse not only claimed lives but also disrupted vital economic operations, with the Port of Baltimore’s operations severely affected. The bridge, opened in 1977 and serving as a major artery for the region’s infrastructure, now sits partially submerged, with recovery operations transitioning into salvage due to safety concerns for divers among the unstable debris.
The tragic event has prompted President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico to offer support to the families of the affected workers, many of whom hail from Latin America. Meanwhile, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg could not offer a timeline for the port’s reopening, emphasizing the importance of assessing the economic impact on the workers and the shipping industry.
Investigators have retrieved the ship’s voyage recorder data, which promises to shed light on the Dali’s operations leading up to the crash. However, with the bridge’s crucial role in transportation and commerce, the multi-billion-dollar implications are beginning to loom large, stirring conversations about the need for emergency spending measures and expedited reconstruction efforts.
Relevant articles:
– Right-wingers blame the Baltimore bridge collapse on everything short of the Mothman
– Safety investigators to probe whether dirty fuel contributed to Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, Fox News, Wed, 27 Mar 2024 04:34:00 GMT
– Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse live updates: Two victims recovered; NTSB recovers ship’s voyage recorder data, NBC News, Wed, 27 Mar 2024 22:29:28 GMT
– What to know about the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore that left at least 6 presumed dead, CBS Baltimore, Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:46:49 GMT