Baltimore bridge collapses after being hit by ship

Six people are unaccounted for and a number of vehicles were detected in the water. The Singapore-flagged container ship, Dali, struck a support column on the 47-year-old bridge at 01:30 local time (05:30 GMT) Authorities said they were part of a construction crew repairing potholes at the time. A US federal government agency said the vessel “lost propulsion as it was leaving the port. It had departed from the terminal at Port Breeze at around 00:45 bound for the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo.

The vessel was carrying more than 1,000 passengers and crew. Maryland state governor Wes Moore said he could confirm that the ship lost power before smashing into one of the columns supporting the bridge. The crew then warned Maryland transport officials of a possible collision, according to an unclassified Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency report on the incident. A number of vehicles, including one the size of a tractor-trailer, plunged into the water below.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott described the incident as an “unthinkable a tragedy. Local officials said another huge concern for rescue teams was the freezing conditions. Air temperatures of about 3C (37. 4F) near the bridge were a concern for rescuers.

Maersk said all crew members - including two harbour pilots - had been accounted for and there were no reports of any injuries. The exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined and the ship owner was fully co-operating with federal agencies, it said. US President Joe Biden said he would travel to Baltimore as soon as possible, and that search and rescue efforts should be prioritized. He said the collapse was an accident and that federal government would pay for the entire cost of that bridge.

No Maersk crew and personnel were onboard the vessel.