Traffic On Baltimore Bridge Was Limited Due To Ship’s Mayday Call

Traffic On Baltimore Bridge Was Limited Prior To Its Collapse Due To Ship’s Mayday Call

Prayers are up following report that multiple people have been pulled from the water after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday.

As we previously reported, the Baltimore key bridge collapsed after it was struck by a cargo ship that was carrying cargo, sending vehicles plunging into the water.

An update reaching us at Dreddsworld is that the casualties were limited due to the ship’s mayday call. As reported by Phillip Lewis on X formerly Twitter, “Maryland governor says ship’s mayday call enabled officials to limit traffic on bridge before crash that caused collapse.”

 

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The Baltimore fire department reportedly used sonar to detect vehicles that fell into the water. The department said it was searching for at least seven people believed to be in the water, after reports that a 948ft Singapore-flagged container ship leaving port on its way to Sri Lanka had crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

The fire department added that up to 20 people and several vehicles have fallen into the river and declared it a “mass casualty event”.

A video posted on social media appeared to show the vessel striking one of the bridge’s central supports, causing much of the 2.6km bridge to give way as a number of vehicles fell into the Patapsco River below.

The ship appeared to catch fire as part of the bridge appeared to collapse over it, sending plumes of thick, black smoke into the air. Two people have been rescued, with one of them “severely” injured and in critical condition, officials said in a pre-dawn press conference.