USA: Cargo ship collision collapses main Baltimore bridge (video)

The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore suffered a partial collapse early Tuesday after being struck by a large cargo ship, triggering a search for at least seven individuals in the water, officials reported.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland which crosses the Patapsco River has reportedly Collapsed within the last few minutes after being Struck by a Large Container Ship; a Mass Casualty Incident has been Declared with over a Dozen Cars and many Individuals said to… pic.twitter.com/SsPMU8Mjph

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Authorities were alerted to the incident around 1:30 a.m. local time. The full extent of the damage remains uncertain, but footage circulated on social media depicted a substantial vessel colliding with the bridge, resulting in its collapse.

The Baltimore City Fire Department classified the collapse as a mass-casualty incident, with personnel combing the river for the missing individuals.

"We received several 911 calls at around 1:30 a.m., that a vessel struck the Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing the collapse," stated Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, to Reuters. "This is currently a mass casualty incident and we are searching for seven people who are in the river."

Baltimore Mayor Brendon Scott confirmed his awareness of the situation and was en route to the bridge, stating that emergency services were on site and engaged in rescue efforts.

Ship tracking data from LSEG indicated the presence of a Singapore-flagged container ship, the Dali, at the location where the accident transpired. Reuters, citing LSEG data, identified the registered owner of the ship as Grace Ocean Pte Ltd. and managed by Synergy Marine Group.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge, inaugurated in 1977, spans 1.6 miles and consists of four lanes crossing over the Patapsco River, according to the MDTA.

Source: USA Today, Reuters