On March 26th, around a month ago, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed. This disaster impacted many commuters, as the Baltimore Bridge is estimated to carry 30,800 vehicles per day. Many people in Baltimore were shocked, and many families lost loved ones.
On that Tuesday, a Singapore-flagged cargo ship, Dali, was on the waters. The Dali was a 984-foot ship, slightly under the length of three football fields. As the cargo ship was on its way, it began to experience mechanical deficiencies, and the pilots controlling it immediately communicated a mayday call. With all control lost, it reached max speed and power before crashing into one of the support beams of the bridge. Sadly, the bridge immediately fell apart, and large pieces fell into the Patapsco River.
Devastatingly, several lives were lost during this catastrophic event. As the cargo ship crashed into the bridge beam, six construction workers were on the bridge fixing potholes on the pavement. Two men were rescued, while two bodies were discovered, and 4 men were unfortunately have been pronounced dead. After the tragedy, more bodies have still been found.
This disaster affected many people as it was a key East Coast shipping center. This bridge reached the Patapsco River, which major cargo ships used to reach the Chesapeake Bay before traveling further into the Atlantic Ocean.
As of now, the first ship has arrived at the Port of Baltimore since the disaster. Four temporary channels have been opened for cargo ships to pass through and to release the ships that were stuck there. During specific hours, recreational boats are able to pass through the salvage area, as there were owners who were stuck on the other side of the bridge. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working towards salvaging whatever they can, and the Biden Administration has currently approved 60$ million in emergency federal aid to pay for the removal of the wreckage. Debris and remaining fragments of the bridge have been picked up by immense cranes in the water. As many teams and organizations are working together, over 1,300 tons of steel have been removed from the water.
