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A container ship collided with a major bridge in Baltimore, United States, in the early hours of this Tuesday, which caused the infrastructure to break in several places and fall into the water. Several vehicles plunged into the cold waters of the river and rescue teams were searching for at least seven people.
Two people were rescued from the river, one of them in serious condition, according to the fire chief. Baltimore,James Wallace. Authorities “may be looking for more than seven people,” he said, adding that the number could vary. It was not clear whether the two rescued were included in those seven.
TO LOOK; Baltimore bridge collapses after being hit by a cargo ship and they search for several missing | VIDEO
Apparently, the boat hit one of the bridge pillars. Francisco Scott Key, according to a video published on X, formerly Twitter. The ship caught fire, generating thick black smoke.
Security cameras captured the moment the ship collided with the Baltimore Bridge:
????The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, United States, collapsed due to a collision with a cargo ship. #Baltimore pic.twitter.com/Jc4RzeKoXX
– Structuring (@Structuring) March 26, 2024
???????? | NOW: Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, USA.
pic.twitter.com/ztPNe5Ryd9— Alerta Notícias 24 (@AlertNews24) March 26, 2024
“This is a serious emergency” said Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for Baltimore Fire Departmentfor the Associated Press. “Right now, our goal is to try to rescue and recover these people.”
The temperature in the river was around eight degrees Celsius (47 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday morning, according to a buoy that collects data for the Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
According to Cartwright, There appeared to be some goods hanging from the bridge that crosses the Patapsco Rivervital artery which, together with the port of Baltimore, is a nerve center for shipping on the East Coast. Opened in 1977, it was named in honor of the author of the United States anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner”.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore declared a state of emergency and said he was working to mobilize federal forces. The FBI was also present at the scene.
Synergy Marine Group – owner and manager of the vessel, called “Dalí” – confirmed that the cargo ship collided with a bridge pillar at around 1:30 am. while under the control of two captains. The crew, including the captains, were located and there were no reports of injuries.
At the time of impact, there were several vehicles on the bridgeincluding one the size of a trailer, Cartwright said.
Remnants of the steel structure could be seen sticking out of the water near the bridge entrance, and the access ramp ended abruptly where the bridge began. bridge.
A merchant ship called “Dalí” was heading from Baltimore to Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. as the last destination, according to maritime traffic monitoring websites Marine Traffic and Vessel Finder. The cargo ship was sailing under a Singapore flag, radio station WTOP reported, citing Matthew West, a Coast Guard petty officer in Baltimore.
Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. posted on social media that emergency crews were in the area and a rescue operation was underway.
“All lanes in both directions are closed due to an incident on the I-695 Key Bridge. “Traffic is being diverted.”explained the Maryland Transportation Authority in X.
In 2001, a freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in a downtown tunnel Baltimore and caught fire, spreading black smoke over nearby neighborhoods and forcing authorities to temporarily close all major entrances to the city.
Source: Elcomercio
I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.
