New details have emerged regarding the tragic disaster in Baltimore Harbor, in which a cargo freighter collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing a major collapse that resulted in the indefinite closure of the Port of Baltimore. According to federal safety officials, the pilot of the vessel had radioed for tugboat assistance and reported a power loss just before the incident occurred, as revealed by the ship’s “black box” data recorder. In addition, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board has noted that the bridge, which was built in 1976, lacked certain structural redundancies that are commonly found in newer spans, making it more susceptible to catastrophic failure.
The impact of the collision caused most of the bridge to fall into the Patapsco River, blocking shipping lanes and resulting in the deaths of six workers who were part of a crew carrying out road repairs on the bridge’s surface. Divers have since recovered the remains of two of those workers, with four others still missing and presumed dead. The victims were identified as immigrants from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.
The disaster has also had significant economic consequences, as the Port of Baltimore is one of the busiest on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard, handling a wide range of cargo including automobiles, farm equipment, and bulk goods such as sugar and coal. The port generates $2 million in wages per day and supports 8,000 direct jobs. However, experts believe that the closure of the port is unlikely to result in a major supply chain crisis or significant price increases for goods, due to the availability of alternate shipping hubs along the East Coast.
Investigations into the incident are ongoing, with an NTSB team interviewing the crew of the cargo freighter and reviewing data from the ship’s Voyage Data Recorder. The recorder suggests that the vessel lost power shortly before the collision, with the pilot calling for tugboat assistance and the crew dropping anchor to slow down. The recorder data also indicates that the ship was traveling at around 8 miles per hour when it hit the bridge abutment.
The collapse of the bridge has had a significant impact on traffic in the region, with the surrounding area experiencing major delays and disruptions. Emergency responders were able to rescue two workers from the water following the incident, but the treacherous conditions of the wreckage-strewn harbor have made it difficult to retrieve additional bodies or vehicles that may be submerged in the water.
