The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator in charge, Marcel Muise, has disclosed a detailed timeline of events leading up to the recent bridge collision based on data retrieved from the voyage data recorder (VDR).
At approximately 12:39 a.m. ET, the ship departed from Seagirt Marine Terminal and by 1:07 a.m., it had entered the Fort McHenry Channel. At 01:24:59, numerous audible alarms were recorded on the ship's bridge audio, coinciding with the cessation of VDR sensor data recording. However, the VDR audio continued to record using a redundant power source.
At 01:26:02, the VDR resumed recording sensor data, capturing steering commands and rudder orders on the audio. Shortly after, at 01:26:39, the ship's pilot made a VHF radio call for tugs to assist and informed the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) duty officer about the blackout.
By around 01:27:04, the pilot instructed dropping the port anchor and issued additional steering commands. At 01:27:25, a distress call was made over the VHF radio, reporting the ship's loss of power and its approach towards the bridge. Subsequently, the MDTA duty officer directed the closure of all lanes on the bridge.
At approximately 01:29, the ship's speed was recorded at just under 8 miles per hour. Moments later, at 01:29:33, the VDR audio captured sounds consistent with the collision with the bridge. Concurrently, MDTA dash cameras documented the extinguishing of the bridge lights.
Finally, at 01:29:39, the pilot reported the bridge collision to the Coast Guard over the VHF radio, marking the culmination of the sequence of events leading to the unfortunate incident.
