Early Tuesday morning, a catastrophic event unfolded as a cargo ship collided with Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, resulting in its complete destruction. The incident was captured through dispatch audio from emergency responders, painting a picture of the tense atmosphere that ensued.
Prior to the crash, operators of the Dali cargo ship issued a mayday call indicating that the vessel had lost power. Despite this distress call, the ship continued towards the bridge at a high rate of speed, ultimately striking one of the bridge's supports and causing a section of the span to collapse into the water.
During the chaos, construction workers who were on the bridge at the time of the collapse found themselves in a perilous situation. An unknown number of workers were reported to be in the water, prompting a swift response from emergency teams, including a dive team.
As the situation unfolded, dispatchers described the incident as a 'mass casualty' event, highlighting the severity of the impact. Efforts were made to notify local hospitals in the area, while rescue operations were underway to save those affected by the tragedy.
While the crew members of the cargo ship were all safe and unharmed, the fate of the construction workers remained uncertain. Two individuals were rescued, but six workers were still missing and presumed dead as of Tuesday afternoon.
An inspection of the Dali cargo ship in Chile last June had identified issues with its propulsion and auxiliary machinery. However, a subsequent inspection by the U.S. Coast Guard in New York in September did not reveal any deficiencies.
Experts noted that the 47-year-old Francis Scott Key Bridge was rated in fair condition by federal inspectors but lacked pier protection to withstand the impact of the collision. Despite the devastation, the ship's warning prior to the crash allowed authorities to limit traffic on the bridge, potentially averting further casualties.
The incident, which occurred in the early hours of the morning, spared the busy morning rush hour traffic, minimizing the potential human toll of the disaster.
