The Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore collapses after a ship crashed into it
The Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore collapses after a ship crashed into it
A cargo ship crashed into one of two main supports for the 2.5km long bridge at around 1:30AM EDT.
There is an ongoing search and rescue effort and authorities are looking for upwards of seven people.
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Two pilots were on board. Apparently there were issues with the ship's propulsion system at last inspection. My money is on a mechanical issue; if not, this was a monumental fuck up by the harbor pilots and/or the crew.
edit: lol, I am pleased with how this comment has aged. Yes, it was a power loss. Quick thinking and action saved lives. Bravo. Now it remains to be seen whether deferred maintenance or similar negligence were to blame; if so, people need to pay up.
It appears to have lost all power once, maybe twice.
They evidently called Mayday before colliding. But if I was asleep at the wheel and woke up to see a bridge coming at me, I’d probably let yell Mayday too.
Why no tug boats to assist the vessel? I find it odd that the ship was allowed to depart on its own.
I assume it was already under way (or whatever).
I watch commercial shipping all day out my office window, almost all tugs are used to just move the ship away from the wharf, something on the order of a boat-length.
I don't know what the layout of the harbour in this incident, but the boat could have been kilometres from the wharf where it docked.
Thanks for replying. I’m looking at it from the perspective of proximity to critical infrastructure, but your reply makes plenty of sense. It does make incidents like this more a case of when and not if.
I’m not from the region (let alone the same country) but I would think this is going to have a significant impact on the port operations, assuming it can continue to operate.
Apparently it almost happened again in Sydney today.
I watch ships in Astoria. I never see tugboats. The ship operate under theiR own power
I'm reasonably sure it's up to the harbour master of the port in question, or whatever governing body in whichever jurisdiction applies.
I imagine every port in the world has its own distinct set of regulations.