The World Opinion

Tag: baltimore bridge collapse

  • US Bridge Collapse: Six Workers Presumed Dead After Ship Knocks Down Baltimore Bridge | world news

    New Delhi: In the early hours of Tuesday, a catastrophic event unfolded in Baltimore Harbor when a large cargo ship, disabled by a power outage, collided with a bridge. This led to the bridge’s collapse and the subsequent closure of one of the busiest ports on the US Eastern Seaboard. Six workers are feared dead in the incident. The hazardous conditions in the debris-filled waters forced the suspension of active search-and-rescue operations about 18 hours post-accident, as announced by US Coast Guard and Maryland State Police officials.

    Given the icy water temperatures and the time that had passed since the accident, Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath expressed no hope of finding the missing workers alive. State Police Colonel Roland Butler shared plans to resume the recovery mission for the workers’ remains after sunrise on Wednesday. The workers, along with two survivors who were rescued, were part of a crew repairing potholes on the bridge.

    The Singapore-flagged container ship Dali, en route from Baltimore Harbor to Sri Lanka, struck a support pylon of the Francis Scott Key Bridge over the Patapsco River around 1:30 am (0530 GMT). A section of the 1.6-mile (2.57 km) bridge quickly fell into the icy river, taking vehicles and people with it.

    A greater disaster was averted when the ship’s power failure was reported before the collision, allowing officials to halt traffic on the bridge. “These people are heroes. They saved lives last night,” said Maryland Governor Wes Moore during a midday news briefing. He confirmed that the bridge was up to code with no known structural issues.

    Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott likened the scene of twisted metal erupting into the sky to an action movie. Social media footage captured the vessel’s impact with the bridge in the dark, the headlights of vehicles on the span visible as it plunged into the water and the ship ignited.

  • Baltimore Bridge Collapse: Bodies Of 2 Missing Workers Retrieved From Collapsed Key Bridge Debris | world news

    New Delhi: In the aftermath of the tragic Key Bridge collapse, Maryland state police have confirmed the retrieval of two victims from a vehicle entangled in the debris on Thursday. A red pickup truck, found submerged in the Patapsco River on Wednesday, contained the bodies of two individuals, following the catastrophic incident where a large container vessel collided with and brought down Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, as reported on Wednesday evening.

    Federal officials, during a press briefing at the White House, conveyed their ongoing operations to locate missing individuals, clear the bridge wreckage, and move the ship responsible for the collapse. These steps are critical precursors to any reconstruction efforts, as noted by The Washington Post.

    A construction team, engaged in bridge maintenance work, suffered a devastating blow with six members presumed deceased, while two of their colleagues were fortunately rescued. The National Transportation Safety Board’s Chair, Jennifer Homendy, disclosed that investigators have accessed the vessel to retrieve its data recorder, akin to an airplane’s black box, to piece together the sequence of events, The Washington Post details.

    Governor Wes Moore has decreed the Maryland flag to be flown at half-mast as an immediate mark of respect, with no set date for its return to full height. This gesture serves to honor those who perished in the Francis Scott Key Bridge disaster.

    President Joe Biden commended the swift actions of the ‘Dali’ cargo ship crew, whose vessel struck the bridge, precipitating its collapse. The timely warning issued by the crew to the Maryland Department of Transportation enabled the closure of the bridge, averting further loss of life, as President Biden remarked in his White House address concerning the bridge’s fall.

    The Synergy Maritime Group, overseeing the Singapore-flagged ‘Dali’, revealed that all 22 crew members are of Indian nationality. Additionally, CNN has reported, referencing Rafael Laveaga of Mexico’s Embassy in Washington, that Mexican citizens are among the missing following the bridge’s collapse.