Cargo operators called for help moments before crashing into Baltimore’s Key Bridge
The ship struck one of the bridge’s supports, causing the structure to collapse like a toy. It tumbled into the water in a matter of seconds — a shocking spectacle that was captured on video
A container ship lost power and rammed into a major bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, causing the span to buckle into the river below and plunging a construction crew and several vehicles into the dangerously cold waters. Rescuers pulled out two people, but six others were missing.
The ship’s crew issued a mayday call moments before the crash took down the Francis Scott Key Bridge, enabling authorities to limit vehicle traffic on the span, Maryland’s governor said.
The ship struck one of the bridge’s supports, causing the structure to collapse like a toy. It tumbled into the water in a matter of seconds — a shocking spectacle that was captured on video and posted on social media. The vessel caught fire, and thick, black smoke billowed out of it.
With the ship barreling toward the bridge at “a very, very rapid speed,” authorities had just enough time to stop cars from coming over the bridge, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.
“These people are heroes,” Moore said. “They saved lives last night.”
The crash happened long before the busy morning commute on the bridge that stretches 1.6 miles (2.6 km).
The six people still unaccounted for were part of a construction crew filling potholes on the bridge, said Paul Wiedefeld, the state’s transportation secretary said. One of those rescued was taken to a hospital, he said.
“Never would you think that you would see, physically see, the Key Bridge tumble down like that. It looked like something out of an action movie,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, calling it “an unthinkable tragedy.”
The collapse is almost sure to create a logistical nightmare for months, if not years, along the East Coast, shutting down ship traffic at the Port of Baltimore and snarling cargo and commuter traffic.
Watch:
This story has what the MSM in bygone days used to to get excited about and say it “has legs”.
Apparently an elite Coast Guard team is inspecting 13 ‘Centers For Disease Control’ containers labelled “Hazardous Materials” that were on board, destination Sri Lanka? That rates two WTFs? Wait, there’s more. Confirmed or unconfirmed reports that the vessel’s critically important black box malfunction? Wait, there’s more. Same goes for the bridge’s also critically important audio records distorted by background noise? Deja vu Epstein’s Manhattan jail cell?
It’ll be 2 years before they finish their investigation? What do these people have a 2 day work week? Despite 100’s of billions of funding for the FBI and various intelligence agencies all Americans get in return is an investigation moving with the speed of an elephant’s pregnancy and gestation time. We’re talking about potential national security. America (and the world) needs answers in 2 months and that’s being generous. But the plot thickens. Sources reported to be ‘inside the crash’ are allegedly speculating that the crash could have been part of a cyber attack designed to bring the U.S. economy to a halt. Legs folks, legs.
I’ve spent more than enough hours in an Operations Room or on the bridge of a ship entering or leaving harbour navigating narrow waterways. This ship would unquestionably have been under the command of a ‘harbour pilot’. Loss of power, loss of rudder control in a situation such as this would (or should) be paramount in a that pilot’s mind, all the time. “Be Prepared” is not just the Boy Scout motto. Just one question, and it is a very important one. Loss of power does not cause a ship’s rudder to move. It would stay exactly how it was set before hand until power was restored and a rudder change initiated. In an obvious full blown emergency situation like this why wasn’t the anchor dropped as the ship’s bow swung (supposedly out of control) towards this pilon? That folks is a common last tactic to attempt to stop, slow or change the direction of an out of control ship in shallow water when a collision is imminent. Reports so far are that the anchor last resort tactic was not utilized. Strange indeed.
After watching the video several times the only reasonable conclusion at this time is that the ship’s movements prior to impact are highly suspicious. So is the premature White House’s assurance that this was an accident. So incompetence or deliberate? Given the FBI’s track record the past decade or so…..
Ship Emergency Stop Using Anchor ️
Re: above comments. Illustrated explanation begins at the 7:50 min mark. Leaving or entering harbour surely it is already regulated that there must be a crewman with a 10lb sledge hammer stationed in the cable locker ready to smash the release on the restraining shackle and emergency drop the anchor on command. We’re going to find out if this emergency procedure was attempted (or even available as an option) soon enough. This just may shine a very bright (and tragic) spot light on shoddy harbour administration or even evolve into criminal negligence in nature.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seUOEt4l97c