Six people still unaccounted for after bridge collapse, officials say
Six people are still unaccounted for following the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse.
Eight people reportedly fell into the water, officials say. All eight were construction workers who were assisting with a project. One person was taken to an area hospital.
Key events
The Francis Scott Key bridge was up to code before the bridge collapse, Moore added.
Moore confirmed that the bridge was “fully up to code” prior to Tuesday’s accident. Moore added that rebuilding the bridge will be a long-term effort.
Reuters has corrected an earlier report that one person has died in the hospital following the Key Bridge collapse.
Reuters previously reported that a person died following the accident.
That claim has since been corrected. One person is currently in the hospital.
Another person who was rescued is not in the hospital, according to Maryland Transportation Secretary, Reuters reported.
Maryland governor Wes Moore added that the ship’s crew had lost power around the time when the cargo ship hit the Key Bridge.
The ship’s crew issued a “mayday” request. Moore said that officials were able to slow the flow of traffic, preventing more vehicles from falling into the water.
“These people are heroes. They saved lives last night,” Moore said.
Six people still unaccounted for after bridge collapse, officials say
Six people are still unaccounted for following the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse.
Eight people reportedly fell into the water, officials say. All eight were construction workers who were assisting with a project. One person was taken to an area hospital.
A press conference is now underway following the Key Bridge collapse.
Maryland governor Wes Moore gave remarks early in the conference.
Moore said that response teams are still working to rescue people who may have fallen into the water after the bridge collapse.
He added that the preliminary investigation suggests that the bridge collision was an accident.
“In the face of heart break, we come together. We embrace one another and we come back stronger. That’s what we’ve always done…and that’s what we’re going to get done together. And we’re going to pray for Baltimore,” Moore said.
Stay tuned for further updates.
Brandon M Scott, the mayor of Baltimore, has declared a local state of emergency following the Key Bridge collapse, according to a statement on social media.
In a post to X, Scott said he is “officially declaring a local state of emergency in response to the collapse of our Key Bridge.”
“Our teams are mobilizing resources and working swiftly to address this crisis and ensure the safety and well-being of our community,” Scott added.
Here is the full declaration:
Baltimore, I am officially declaring a local state of emergency in response to the collapse of our Key Bridge. Our teams are mobilizing resources and working swiftly to address this crisis and ensure the safety and well-being of our community. pic.twitter.com/x6euk2SocZ
— Brandon M. Scott (@MayorBMScott) March 26, 2024
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Baltimore said that the Key Bridge collapse is not a result of terrorism, according to a statement on social media.
The FBI’s Baltimore division said there is “no specific and credible information to suggest any ties to terrorism at this time”, in a post made to X.
The office added that an investigation is still ongoing.
RE: Francis Scott Key Bridge:
There is no specific and credible information to suggest any ties to terrorism at this time. The investigation is ongoing. FBI Baltimore will continue to support our partners at the local, state, and federal levels. pic.twitter.com/XwNJhuUtK7— FBI Baltimore (@FBIBaltimore) March 26, 2024
Homeland security secretary says collision doesn’t appear intentional act
Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, said the Key Bridge collision does not appear to be an intentional act, in a social media post.
In an update to X, Mayorkas said: “There are no indications this was an intentional act and we are assessing the impacts to the Port of Baltimore.”
Mayorkas added that the US Coast Guard and other agencies are in Baltimore assisting with search and rescue efforts.
We are closely monitoring the tragic situation unfolding as a result of a containership colliding with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. Our thoughts are with the families of the missing and injured. (1/2)
— Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (@SecMayorkas) March 26, 2024
The @USCG was on the scene along with our state and local partners and is actively involved in search and rescue operations this morning. There are no indications this was an intentional act and we are assessing the impacts to the Port of Baltimore. (2/2)
— Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (@SecMayorkas) March 26, 2024
Baltimore’s mayor, Brandon M Scott, is still at the site of the Key Bridge collapse, according to a a new statement posted to social media.
Scott via X/Twitter:
We remain on site managing the Key Bridge Collapse incident, especially the ongoing search & rescue effort.
This is a multi-jurisdiction, multi-agency effort with federal, state, and local resources mobilizing.
We will continue to make updates throughout the day.
The cargo ship that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge also crashed in a separate case in 2016.
The Dali cargo ship was involved in a collision at the Port of Antwerp in Belgium. It was headed to Bremerhaven.
Maersk, the company that chartered the container ship, released a statement on Tuesday following the Baltimore accident:
We are horrified by what has happened in Baltimore, and our thoughts are with all of those affected.
We are closely following the investigations conducted by authorities and Synergy, and we will do our utmost to keep our customers informed.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is restricting aircraft from flying over the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse due to ongoing rescue efforts.
From the FAA via X:
Drone pilots: The FAA has flight restrictions in place around the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. Do not interfere with rescue operations. If you fly, emergency response operations cannot.
Summary
Good morning. It is 8.27am in Baltimore, Maryland, where a portion of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after it was struck by a container ship early on Tuesday morning.
Here’s the latest so far:
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At least seven people were in need of rescue in the Patapsco River, a reporter on the scene said, citing the Baltimore fire department. Two people have been rescued so far as first responders work on searching for others who may have fallen into the river.
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The vessel which collided with the bridge was chartered by Maersk, the company said. Maersk said that the vessel was operated by Synergy Group and was carrying Maersk customers’ cargo, Reuters reported.
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Maryland’s governor, Wes Moore, said in a statement that he has declared a state of emergency. “We are working with an interagency team to quickly deploy federal resources from the Biden administration,” he said.
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Multiple vehicles fell into the water due to the bridge collapse, according to video. The Maryland transportation authority has closed all lanes in both directions of the I-695 Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Stay tuned for further updates.
An unclassified Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency report said the container ship Dali “lost propulsion” as it was leaving port and warned Maryland officials of a possible collision, ABC reported.
“The vessel notified MD Department of Transportation (MDOT) that they had lost control of the vessel and an allision [a ship collision] with the bridge was possible,” the report said.
Maryland’s governor, Wes Moore, is at the site of the incident in Baltimore.
Officials both in Baltimore and Washington have underscored that they do not believe the incident is terrorism-related.
“There is no indication of any nefarious intent,” the White House said.
Here are the latest images from Baltimore.
