Baltimore:
A major bridge in the US city of Baltimore collapsed after being hit by a loaded container ship.
Many questions remain, including how the ship lost control. What we know so far is:
what happened?
The Singapore-flagged container ship Dali, carrying cargo from Baltimore to Sri Lanka, hit the concrete pier supporting the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore around 1:30 a.m. (0530 GMT).
Within seconds, nearly the entire bridge collapsed, plunging into what officials said were about 50 feet (15 meters) of icy water below.
Not long ago, the ship sent out a distress call warning that it had lost power, prompting authorities to urgently shut down traffic to the bridge, which could have saved lives.
Search and rescue operations involving divers, boats, aircraft and advanced sonar and infrared equipment are underway.
How many casualties were there?
Officials said they were looking for at least six members of an eight-member construction crew who were repairing potholes on the bridge.
Two other people were rescued from the water. One of the men was not injured, but the other was seriously injured and was taken to hospital.
There is some confusion as to whether anyone was trapped in a car on the bridge when it collapsed.
Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said sonar spotted the vehicle in the water, but he could not provide further details.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said the investigation was ongoing, while state Transportation Secretary Paul Widfield said officials “do not believe” anyone was trapped in the vehicle.
Management of the “Dali” Joint Maritime Group stated that no crew members were injured.
What causes it?
The Dali sent out a distress signal shortly before the crash, warning that it had lost power and propulsion. It was unclear what caused the outage.
“As a result, it was unable to maintain its intended course and collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge,” the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore quoted Synergy Marine Group as saying in a statement.
CCTV footage showed the ship going dark twice in the minutes before the incident. A plume of smoke could also be seen before the collision.
The Maritime Authority of Singapore said the Dali was anchored before the incident as part of emergency procedures. Doing so can help slow the passage of an out-of-control vessel.
Officials have repeatedly said there is “no indication” of terrorism.
Some experts say the bridge’s main support structure may not be properly protected to withstand a collision from such a large vessel.
Toby Mottram, professor of structural engineering at the University of Warwick, said: “The huge power of this large cargo ship, especially when it is fully loaded with cargo, will have a considerable impact on impact.”
“It was clear that the piers were unable to withstand the energy of the impact…the extent of damage to the bridge’s superstructure appeared to be disproportionate to the cause,” Mottram said.
What happens next?
Authorities have closed the port “until further notice” and traffic is being diverted from the bridge as rescue efforts continue.
Officials say finding survivors is their only priority right now. Moore declared a state of emergency.
They are also monitoring the affected Dali for any fuel leaks, but this has not yet been confirmed.
The landslide is expected to have a serious impact on the area. Traffic around Baltimore will be affected by the bridge collapse, while shipping could also experience lengthy delays as debris clogs waterways.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
