Prior to the Singaporean cargo ship colliding Dali with the Francis Scott Key Bridge early on Tuesday morning, the power on the ship appeared to fail and the crew. The crash led to a total bridge collapse. A search and rescue mission is underway.
The crew "lost control" and "propulsion" prior to the crash. "The vessel notified MD Department of Transportation (MDOT) that they had lost control of the vessel and an allision with the bridge was possible," Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said in a press conference. "The vessel struck the bridge causing a complete collapse."
After the lights flashed on board the Dali, a billow of smoke rose from the ship. The vessel is owned by Grace Ocean Pte Ltd and managed by Synergy Marine Group.
Footage of the aftermath after the incident showed the bridge in the water with rescue operations underway. Helicopters and ships traveled around the area in search of those who were taken down with the bridge.
Ben Schafer, Professor of Civil and Systems Engineering at Johns Hopkins, spoke to the Daily Mail, saying, "Where the bridge was struck is unique."
"As I understand it right now," he said, "the location where the bridge was struck is unique. In that it is the same location where the bridge has to resist the maximum amount of force as it holds up the center span," he added. "Almost all bridges from short to long span have some protection for bridge piers in the water to prevent scour and to prevent boat strikes, but it was apparently not enough in this situation."
Initial press information from the Maryland government indicated that "multiple" vehicles fell into the water below. Search and rescue is underway as of Tuesday morning.
Synergy Marine Group made a statement regarding the incident in a press release, saying, "Whilst the exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined, the Dali has now mobilised its qualified individual incident response service."
Powered by StructureCMS™ Comments
Join and support independent free thinkers!
We’re independent and can’t be cancelled. The establishment media is increasingly dedicated to divisive cancel culture, corporate wokeism, and political correctness, all while covering up corruption from the corridors of power. The need for fact-based journalism and thoughtful analysis has never been greater. When you support The Post Millennial, you support freedom of the press at a time when it's under direct attack. Join the ranks of independent, free thinkers by supporting us today for as little as $1.
Remind me next month
To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, please visit our Privacy Policy
Comments