“Based on the length of the search (…), the temperature of the water, at this time we do not believe that we will find these people alive,” said Vice Admiral Shannon Gilreath at a press conference.
The tragedy occurred when a barco The cargo ship lost power and crashed into a bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, destroying the arch in seconds and sending it crashing into the river in a horrific crash that could disrupt a major shipping port for months. Six people who were on the bridge remain missing and are believed to have died.
The operators of the bouquet issued a distress call moments before the accident that brought down the Francis Scott Key Bridge, allowing authorities limit vehicle traffic on the stretch, Maryland’s governor said.
How the collapse occurred
The ship crashed into one of the bridge supports, causing the structure to collapse like a toy. The ship caught fire, emitting thick, black smoke.
As the ship hurtled toward the bridge at a “very, very fast speed,” authorities only had enough time to prevent cars from entering the bridge, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.
“Those people are heroes,” Moore said. “They saved lives last night.”
The accident occurred well before the busy morning rush hour, on the 2.6-kilometer (1.6-mile) long bridge, which was used by 12 million vehicles last year.
Construction workers missing
The six people who have not been located were part of a construction crew filling potholes on the bridge, said Paul Wiedefeld, the state’s transportation secretary.
A senior executive at the company that hired the construction workers reported Tuesday afternoon that they were believed to have died, given the depth of the water and the time that has passed since the collision.
Jeffrey Pritzker, executive vice president of Brawner Builders, said The team was working halfway across the bridge when it collapsed. They have not recovered any body.
“This was completely unforeseen,” Pritzker said. “We don’t know what else to say. We take great pride in safety, and have cones, signs, lights, barriers and markers. But we never imagined that the bridge would collapse.”
Jesús Campos, who has worked on the bridge for Brawner Builders and knows members of the crew, said they told him they were on a break and that some were sitting in their trucks when the bridge collapsed.
“I know I was there a month ago, and I know what it feels like when the trucks pass by,” Campos said. “Imagine knowing that it is falling. “It’s so hard that you wouldn’t know what to do.”
Rescuers pulled two people from the water. One person was treated at a hospital and released hours later.
Many vehicles fell into the water, although authorities said they did not believe there were people on board.
“It seemed like something out of an action movie,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, noting that it had been “an unimaginable tragedy.”
A police dispatcher issued an alert shortly before the bridge collapse to report that a boat had lost direction and asked officers to stop all traffic, according to the lifeguard’s radio communication obtained by the Maryland Transportation Authority. from the Broadcastify.com archive.
A traffic stop officer said over the radio that he was going to enter the bridge to alert the construction crew. But seconds later, the agitated agent said: “The entire bridge has fallen… the entire bridge just collapsed.”
On a separate radio channel for construction and maintenance workers, someone said officers were stopping traffic because a boat had lost its way. There was no evacuation order and, 30 seconds later, the bridge collapsed and the canal fell silent.
From 1960 to 2015, 35 major bridge collapses occurred worldwide due to ship or barge collisions, according to the World Water Transport Infrastructure Association.
“It will devastate the entire region”
The collapse is almost certain to create a logistical nightmare for months, or perhaps years, along the US East Coast, shutting down shipping traffic at the Port of Baltimore, a major shipping hub. The accident will also cause freight and passenger traffic to slow down.
“Losing this bridge will devastate the entire region, as well as the entire East Coast,” said Maryland State Senator Johnny Ray Salling.
Traffic signs reaching into Virginia warned drivers of bridge-related delays.
Officials said sonar had detected vehicles in the water, which is about 15 meters (50 feet) deep. The water temperature was around 8 degrees Celsius (47 degrees Fahrenheit) before dawn Tuesday, according to a buoy that collects data for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Ship – fallen bridge in Baltimore / AFP
AFP
Ship’s crew safe
Synergy Marine Group – the management company of the vessel, called “Dalí” – confirmed that the freighter collided with a bridge pillar around 1:30 a.m. while under the control of one or more pilots, who are local specialists. that help navigate ships and take them into ports. The ship is owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd.
Synergy said all crew members and the two pilots on board were accounted for and there were no reports of injuries.
The ship was moving at 8 knots, about 15 km/h (9 mph), the governor said.
Remains of the bridge could be seen on the surface of the water. The ramp cut off abruptly where the arch began.
The bridge spans the Patapsco River at the entrance to a busy port, leading to the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Inaugurated in 1977, the bridge was named in honor of the author of the American national anthem.
Source: With information from AP and AFP
