In the early morning of Tuesday, March 25, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, collapsed after being struck by a container ship. The cargo ship, named the Dali, was 954 feet long and was traveling at 9 mph. While traveling from the Port of Baltimore to Sri Lanka the ship lost power and thus its ability to steer, crashing into a main support pier of the bridge. 

Casualties include: 6 construction workers have not been found and are presumed dead. 2 living people were pulled from the water that morning. One of these was in critical condition and sent to trauma care. Rescue crews found at least 5 vehicles in the water below the bridge, but nobody is believed to be inside them. 

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash, the Dali, and the company who operates the ship, Synergy Group. The Dali was involved in another crash 6 years ago, when it collided into and damaged a quay at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges in Belgium. 

The Port of Baltimore is the busiest part for car imports and exports, with the Francis Scott Key Bridge and the Interstate it supported being a crucial part of that. $80 billion dollars in goods  and 11.3 million vehicles passed over the bridge last year, and the bridge supports around 8,000 jobs. The economic effects of the loss of this highway are still being investigated. President Biden and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg have vowed to rebuild the bridge, each step of the way, with the people of Baltimore in mind. 

Cites

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/maryland-bridge-collapse-francis-scott-key-bridge-boat-baltimore-rcna145047

https://www.npr.org/2024/03/26/1240857704/francis-scott-key-bridge-collapse-baltimore

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