A major portion of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed early Tuesday morning after a large shipping vessel ran into one of its support structures.
"We have an unspeakable tragedy," Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said.
An active search and rescue mission was continuing, Maryland state officials said after the sun came up.
Bridge collapse key points
- At least 4 vehicles located in water
- 50 divers in water
- 6 people believed missing
- No link to terrorism
- Ship lost power before hitting bridge
A video showed the large Singaporean-flagged cargo vessel Dali crash into the bridge at around 1:30 a.m. (05:30 UTC) and the incident caused multiple vehicles to fall into the river below.
Officials said there were no confirmed fatalities during a Tuesday morning news conference but rescue operations were still underway.
Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said about 50 divers were in the water for the search.
They have located three passenger vehicles in the water and a cement truck. He says there is one other possible vehicle that was located. It is believed that all of the vehicles were conntected to the contruction crew.
The ship lost power and declared a mayday before hitting the bridge. State officials say bridge workers immediately closed the bridge to vehicle traffic and that may have saved lives.
In an interview on CNN, Wallace said the wreckage in the water presented challenges and crews were worried about a secondary collapse.
MarylandGov. Wes Moore said there was no indication that it was terrorism related and appeared to be an accident.
The ship's crew reported losing power before the bridge strike.
Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld said crews faced challenges with the conditions in the water.
"Very tough situation," Wiedefeld said.
"All crew members, including the two pilots, have been accounted for, and there are no reports of any injuries. There has also been no pollution," the firm said in a statement obtained by the shipping news outlet TradeWinds.
According to Shipwreck Log and VesselFinder, the ship was previously involved in an incident in Antwerp, Belgium, in 2016 and the ship had just left Baltimore to head toward Sri Lanka when she struck the bridge.
Baltimore Bridge Collapse 2024
Multiple vehicles fell into the water as the bridge collapsed; authorities are trying to rescue at seven construction workers who were doing maintenance work on the bridge at the time of the incident.
Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said two people were pulled from the water. One of them was able to walk away without medical care. The other person was in very serious condition at a hospital.
"There's many more we have to find," Mayor Scott said. "This is an all hands on deck situation."
"This is a dire emergency. Our focus right now is trying to rescue and recover these people," Baltimore Fire Department communication director Kevin Cartwright said, adding that it was too early to know how many people were affected but called the collapse a "developing mass casualty event."
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that he had offered his support to the state and city.
"Rescue efforts remain underway and drivers in the Baltimore area should follow local responder guidance on detours and response," he wrote on X.
I’ve spoken with Gov. Moore and Mayor Scott to offer USDOT’s support following the vessel strike and collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge. Rescue efforts remain underway and drivers in the Baltimore area should follow local responder guidance on detours and response.
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) March 26, 2024
The Maryland Transportation Authority posted on X: "All lanes closed [in] both directions for [the] incident on I-695 Key Bridge. Traffic is being detoured."
Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse
The Francis Scott Key Bridge—named after the poet who penned the US national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner—was opened in 1977 and spans the Patapsco River. It is a vital artery that, along with the Port of Baltimore, is a hub for shipping on the US East Coast. The bridge carries Interstate 695 over the Patapsco.
From a vantage point near the entrance to the bridge, jagged remnants of its steel frame protrude from the water. An on-ramp now ends abruptly where the fallen span once began.
HNGN Senior Reporter Luke Funk contributed to this report.
