Baltimore Bridge Collapse: 6 missing workers presumed dead in Maryland
Baltimore Bridge Collapse: The six individuals who went missing following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore which collapsed into the Patapsco River after being struck by a container ship hav been presumed dead.
The Singapore-flagged vessel collided with one of the pillars of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland, leading to its collapse on Tuesday.
Numerous videos circulating on social media captured the moment when the cargo vessel collided with one of the bridge's support pillars, leading to its collapse into the river below. Several cars were on the bridge during the incident, though there are no immediate reports of casualties.
The collision occurred at around 1:30 a.m., resulting in a fire aboard the large vessel before it sank. The impact caused multiple vehicles to plunge into the water, as seen in a video shared on social media platforms.
The shipping company, Synergy Maritime Group, said on Tuesday in a statement that there were 22 Indians on board and all of them were Indians.
When asked about the crew on board and their nationality, NTSB Chair Homendy said, "The question is who was on board the vessel and their nationalities. I have heard conflicting information on that..."
Following the collapse, the US Secretary of Transportation said that bringing everything back to normal would not be quick and inexpensive.
He further extended gratitude for the extraordinary and courageous work of the first responders, some of whom are in that cold water right now, some of whom are from right here.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore said that the container ship, before colliding with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, made a 'mayday' call, which prompted officials to stop traffic and try to evacuate people on the bridge, the media sources reported citing several federal and Maryland officials.
Governor Moore said that this rapid response helped save lives. "These people are heroes."
(With inputs from agencies)