BALTIMORE/NEW YORK (Reuters) – Two people were rescued, but six people are still missing after a bridge over a port collapsed in the early hours of the 26th in Baltimore, Maryland. Published by the Maryland Department of Transportation.
Six people were presumed dead, and search efforts were called off.
U.S. Coast Guard and Maryland State Police officials said search and rescue efforts were delayed about 18 hours after the accident, as debris from the bridge was scattered and dive teams were exposed to dangerous conditions at night. Canceled.
Coast Guard officials said there was no hope that the missing people would be found alive due to the low water temperatures and the long time since the accident. Police officials said they hope to resume operations to recover the bodies on the morning of the 27th.
The bridge collapsed after being hit by a large container ship that had malfunctioned due to a power outage.
“Preliminary investigation indicates it was an accident,” Governor Wes Moore said at a news conference, adding there is no credible evidence it was a terrorist attack.
The bridge opened in 1977. Governor Moore said there were no structural problems with the bridge.
Regarding the accident in which a Singapore-registered cargo ship collided with a bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, on the 26th, the Singapore Maritime Port Authority said on the 27th that the ship was in a state of structural integrity and equipment was functioning properly at the time of the accident. It was revealed that the ship had a valid classification society certificate and legal certificate. Photos from the time of the accident (2024 Reuters/ABC AFFILIATE WJLA via REUTERS)
President Biden stated that he intended to visit Baltimore as soon as possible, saying, “I have directed that we reopen our ports and rebuild our bridges as soon as possible.”
As a result of this accident, ships have become stranded around the port.
According to an analysis by data analysis group Kpler and others, at least 13 ships scheduled to load coal are stranded near the port, and several container ships and other vessels have been forced to anchor nearby.
Danish shipping giant Maersk (MAERSKb.CO), opens new tab, said it would exclude the Port of Baltimore from all services “for the time being until transit through the area is deemed safe.” The container ship that collided with the bridge on the 26th was chartered by Maersk.
The closure of the Port of Baltimore, one of the major ports on the East Coast of the United States, is threatening to delay the transportation of various goods such as automobiles and coal. Experts say supply bottlenecks could occur, leading to higher costs.
U.S. automakers General Motors (GM.N), opens new tab and Ford Motor Co. (FN), opens new tab said they would divert shipments as the Port of Baltimore was closed due to a bridge collapse. However, both parties are of the view that the impact will be minimal.
According to the Maryland Port Authority, the Port of Baltimore handles more motor vehicle traffic than any other port in the United States.
The container ship that caused this accident previously collided with a quay at the Belgian port of Antwerp in 2016. An inspection conducted in June 2023 pointed out deficiencies in the “propulsion system and auxiliary equipment.”
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