US Bridge Collapse: 6 Feared Dead, Indian Crew Safe After Ship Collision

US Bridge Collapse: On Tuesday, a ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing the bridge to collapse and plunge into the water. Rescue operations have been suspended, presuming those missing have died.

In the middle of the night, the container ship Dali, manned entirely by Indian crew, lost power and rammed into the bridge. The 22 crew members were all unharmed and accounted for, but six repairmen on the bridge have been missing. They were working to repair potholes on the bridge when it collapsed around midnight.

Frightening videos coming in from Baltimore bridge collapse after a ship hits it . Thoughts and prayers with families of victims. (Yes, a bridge collapse can also happen in the US and not just here in India, only this one wasn’t a construction flaw but an accident caused by an… pic.twitter.com/wx1WFzZDQd

— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) March 26, 2024

"Based on the length of time that we've gone in this search, the extensive search efforts that we put into it, the water temperature... at this point we do not believe that we're going to find any of these individuals still alive," US Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said, as quoted by news agency AFP.

Due to the temperatures and currents in the water, it is difficult for divers to stay underwater for long periods of time, police said.

The Indian Embassy in US condoled the horrific crash and issued a helpline for any Indian citizens affected by the collision. "Our heartfelt condolences to all affected by the unfortunate accident at the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. For any Indian citizens that may be affected/ require assistance, the Embassy of India has created a dedicated hotline: please reach out to us on +1-202-717-1996," it wrote on X.

Due to a momentary loss of propulsion, the ship was unable to control its direction around midnight on Tuesday. As a last ditch effort to stop the ship from moving forward, anchors were dropped as a last-ditch attempt to warn of an imminent collision with the 1977 bridge.

As a result of the distress call, Maryland Governor Wes Moore said, bridge officials were able to stop vehicles from going on the bridge. As a result of the ship crashing into a leg of the bridge, multiple vehicles and 20 people fell into the Patapsco River. It was clear from video footage that the container ship was speeding at 300 kilometers per hour.

"We're thankful that between the Mayday and the collapse we had officials who were able to begin to stop the flow of traffic. These people are heroes. They saved lives last night," Mr Moore said, according to AFP.

#WATCH | US | Baltimore Bridge Collapse | "...At around 1:30 am I heard the noise and it was vibrating in the house...I was really scared...My brother came & told me that the bridge had fallen...," says a local, Kely June Pears. pic.twitter.com/k6LQisH3ZP

— ANI (@ANI) March 26, 2024

Some social media theories claimed the crash was a cyber attack on the US. The FBI and other US agencies found evidence of a terror plot behind the crash.

The search operation has been called off, but boats will patrol overnight.

While the port has been closed, traffic has been diverted away from the bridge. Vehicle movement will be affected as the bridge was a vital connector. Shipping may also be affected due to debris in the water.

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