WATCH: Timeline of Baltimore bridge collapse before ship collision

March 26, 2024At around 1:26 a.m., the Daly, a 948-foot large container ship operated by Singapore-based Grace Marine Pte. Ltd., set off from the Port of Baltimore on a month-long journey to Colombo, Sri Lanka.

However, just minutes before 1.30am, the ship developed a serious problem and lost power, leaving it unable to maintain control or avoid obstacles. As a result, the vessel drifted toward a support column of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which carries Interstate 695 across the Patapsco River in Baltimore, Maryland.

At 1.28am, the vessel, traveling at about 9 miles per hour, collided with the bridge’s support columns, instantly causing the bridge structure to collapse into the river below. This unfortunate incident caused construction workers and vehicles to plunge into the Patapsco River while crossing the bridge. Anticipating an impending disaster, crews sent out a distress call at 1:26 a.m. so law enforcement could prevent additional vehicles from entering the bridge before it collapsed.