baltimore: All 22 crew members aboard the cargo ship that collided with the Key Bridge in Baltimore were Indians, the charter management unit said. It is said that they are safe.
All crew members, including the two pilots, have been traced and there are no reports of injuries. The registered owner of the Singapore flag vessel is Grace Ocean Pte Ltd.
Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday when a cargo ship crossed the four-lane road, sending cars into the river. An eight-member team was repairing potholes on the bridge and eight people fell into the river.
So far, two people have been rescued, with local officials saying a “large area” is needed to search. They fear six other people are still missing as authorities search. Of the rescued people, one person was not harmed while the other was said to be seriously injured.
Police told Reuters that the condition of one of the rescued people was described as “very serious”.
The 948-foot plane collapsed a portion of the bridge structure, sinking several cars and causing numerous casualties. Daly, a freighter, was traveling along the Patapsco River when it collided with a steel structure, causing the bridge to fall almost completely into the water.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore said at a press briefing that the freighter was traveling at a relatively high speed of about eight knots and lost power moments before hitting the bridge. He also said preliminary findings suggest it was an “accident” and there is no evidence of a terrorist attack.
The Baltimore City Fire Department described the collapse as a “major damage incident” and daylight aerial footage highlights the extent of the damage. The four-lane steel bridge leads to the Port of Baltimore and crosses the Patapsco River. It is the busiest US port for car shipments.