Ship Involved In Baltimore Bridge Collapse Had Collision In Antwerp

Ship Involved In Baltimore Bridge Collapse Had Collision In Antwerp


The container ship that collided with a segment of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore that led to its collapse has been involved in a collision before, according to reports on Tuesday.

Fox Business reported that Container ship DALI, which hit the bridge segment early Tuesday morning, was engaged in “a similar but far less serious incident was reported in 2016, according to contemporaneous reports.”

According to a Maritime News report, DALI collided with a stone wall at a dock in Antwerp, Belgium, on July 11, 2016. The cargo ship sustained damage and was taken to port for repairs, but fortunately, no one was injured in the collision, according to The New York Times.

Emergency crews, including the U.S. Coast Guard, local first responders, and the FBI, are currently searching for individuals who are believed to be in the water. Kevin Cartwright, the director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, has stated that officials are referring to this as a mass casualty event, Fox Business reported.

Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace reported that two people were rescued from the water after the collapse, with one of them in critical condition.

Wallace said authorities “may be looking for upwards of seven people,” but he said that number could change. The vessel that struck the bridge was a Singapore-flagged cargo ship. The large vessel then caught fire before becoming disabled.

Time-lapse video posted online shows the ship appearing to lose power a couple of times before drifting into a bridge support beam. That suggests that the collision could have been due to a power failure.

The Maryland Transportation Authority announced on social media that traffic is being detoured due to all lanes being closed in both directions on the I-695 southeast corridor. It later advised drivers to avoid the area and use I-95 or I-895 instead.


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