The container ship Dali crashed into the bridge, causing the immediate collapse Image: Julia Nikhinson/REUTERS
The Maryland governor has declared a state of emergency after a container ship crashed into a bridge, sending vehicles into the water below. Fire officials have warned of a “mass casualty event.” Follow DW for more.
No indication of ‘nefarious intent,’ White House says
The White House said there was no indication of “any nefarious intent” in the Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore.
“Our hearts go out to the families of those who remain missing as a result of this horrific incident,” the White House said in a statement
It added that senior officials were in touch with the Maryland governor and Baltimore mayor to offer any needed assistance.
Maryland has declared a state of emergency, which eases access to federal resources in assisting response and rescue efforts.
The Baltimore branch of the FBI has also ruled out terrorism.
“There is no specific and credible information to suggest any ties to terrorism at this time,” it said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
FBI investigators were also on the scene of the incident.
The Baltimore police also earlier said there was no indication of terrorism.
What do we know about the rescue operation?
Baltimore Fire Department Chief James Wallace said Tuesday morning that authorities are “still very much in an active search and rescue posture” after the Key bridge collapsed into Baltimore’s Patapsco River at the mouth of a large harbor.
The huge emergency response involves numerous agencies contributing personnel and assets.
“We are deploying assets in response,” US Coast Guard officer Matthew West told the Baltimore Sun newspaper.
These include two response boats from Curtis Bay and one from Annapolis, along with a helicopter.
Wallace said in the press conference that sonar had “detected the presence of vehicles” in the harbor, but declined to estimate how many.
Water temperatures in the harbor are believed to be around 47 degrees Fahrenheit (8 degrees Celsius).
Maryland Governor Wes Moore has also declared a state of emergency in response.
“We are thankful for the brave men and women who are carrying out efforts to rescue those involved and pray for everyone’s safety,” Moore wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Baltimore police rules out terrorism as cause of incident
Baltimore police were still looking into the cause of the collapse of Key Bridge, but terrorism was not on the table, Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said.
“There is absolutely no indication that there’s any terrorism, that this was done on purpose,” Worley said in a press conference, answering a journalist’s question.
2 people rescued from water, Baltimore fire chief says
Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said two people were pulled from the water, adding that one was in serious condition.
Authorities were “may be looking for upwards of seven people,” Wallace said in a press conference on Tuesday, adding that the number could change.
“This is a very large incident,” Wallace said, adding that multiple air and sea assets from numerous agencies were attending to the incident.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott described the incident as an “unthinkable tragedy.”
“Never would you think that you would see, physically see, the Key Bridge tumble down like that. It looked like something out of an action movie,” he said.
What do we know so far?
The steel arch Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland collapsed into the Patapsco River early Tuesday morning after a main pillar was struck by a cargo ship.
Videos shared on social media showed multiple vehicles falling into the river after the collision. The incident took place at 1:35 a.m. local time, according to Baltimore police.
Authorities said they were looking for an upward of seven people, and that the numbers might change amid the continuous search and rescue operations.
Maryland governor declares state of emergency
Kevin Cartwright, the director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told the Baltimore Sun newspaper that the “entire bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River.”
After the incident, the Synergy Marine Group confirmed that its Singapore-flagged vessel Dali with two pilots onboard collided with one of the bridge’s pillars, according to Reuters news agency.
There were no injuries onboard, a Synergy statement said, adding that the cause of the incident had yet to be determined.
Danish shipping company Maersk later announced that it chartered the Dali vessel.
Officials said they were still investigating the cause of the incident, but ruled out terrorism.
The 1.6-mile (2.57 kilometer) bridge, which was completed in 1977, spans a wide section of the Patapsco River at the entrance to a busy harbor in southern Baltimore on the US east coast.
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