Two Dead, Two Rescued, Many Plunged Into River As Bridge Collapses in Baltimore, U.S.

Authorities in the U.S. State of Maryland have confirmed the death of two people and rescued two more as many vehicles plunged into a river in Baltimore following a freak accident that caused the bridge to collapse early Tuesday morning.

A container ship collided with the bridge sending its users into the Patapsco River. Media reports revealed that a 948ft Singapore-flagged container ship leaving port on its way to Sri Lanka had crashed into the 1.6-mile (2.57-km) Francis Scott Key Bridge, named after the author of the American national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner.

The state’s governor has declared a state of emergency to get federal resources quickly deployed. Joe Biden said search and rescue efforts were a “top priority” and that all indications were that the episode was a “terrible accident”.

Authorities have reported that six individuals are still missing following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, all presumed to be construction workers engaged in repairing potholes on the bridge. Currently, two individuals have been successfully rescued, one of whom is in critical condition.

Data retrieved from a buoy operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration indicated that the temperature of the river stood at approximately 47°F (8°C) during the early hours of Tuesday. At the time of the incident, several vehicles, including one comparable in size to a tractor-trailer, were present on the bridge.

Video posted on social media showed the vessel ploughing into one of the bridge’s central supports in darkness, causing much of the bridge to give way as a number of vehicles fell into the Patapsco River below and the ship caught fire. Synergy Marine Group, the manager of the Dali named ship, confirmed it had collided with one of the pillars of the bridge.