Following the tragic collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, investigators have uncovered a significant lead in their quest to determine the root cause of the disaster. A loose cable discovered on the Dali, the cargo ship involved in the incident, has emerged as a potential culprit that may have triggered electrical issues leading to the catastrophic event.
The National Transportation Safety Board recently released new documents shedding light on the sequence of events that unfolded before the bridge collapse. The investigation revealed that disconnecting the problematic cable resulted in an electrical blackout on the ship, mirroring the circumstances as it approached the bridge on March 26.
While the released documents do not offer definitive conclusions, they provide valuable insights into the electrical malfunctions experienced by the Dali. The ship, en route to Sri Lanka, lost power, causing steering failure that ultimately led to the collision with the bridge, claiming the lives of six roadwork crew members.
Previous reports had highlighted power issues on the ship both before and after its departure from Baltimore. The latest findings delve deeper into the ship's electrical system failures in the critical moments preceding the tragic incident.
Engineers investigating the matter identified a loose cable within the ship's secondary transformer and breaker system as a potential trigger for the blackout. Additional testing involved the removal of a terminal block, a component used to connect electrical wires, for further analysis.
Experts from Hyundai, the ship's electrical system manufacturer, collaborated with investigators to simulate the impact of the loose cable. Their tests confirmed that the cable could create an open circuit, leading to a breaker opening and subsequent blackout on the ship.
While the investigation has honed in on the loose connection as a significant factor, questions remain regarding the ship's maintenance practices and crew responsibilities. The meticulous examination of the Dali's systems revealed few other issues, indicating a comprehensive investigative approach.
As the probe continues, the focus now shifts to determining whether the loose cable was a result of inadequate maintenance or other underlying factors. The ship has since left Baltimore for Virginia for repairs and is expected to sail to China in the coming weeks.
The investigation into the Baltimore bridge collapse remains ongoing, with authorities committed to uncovering the full extent of the circumstances that led to the tragic event.
