The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland collapsed on March 26 after being struck by a cargo ship. As of that Tuesday evening, six people were presumed dead.
The ship lost power seconds before striking the bridge at 1:28 AM and was unable to avoid the crash. Eight construction workers filling potholes on the bridge were sent into the water at the time of the collapse, two of which were rescued and are alive.
Three of the remaining six bodies have been identified and recovered. They include Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval, Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera.
The cargo ship, named The Dali, initiated a mayday call for help soon before the collision to report the power outage, but the operators were unable to regain full control of the 300 meter long vessel before it contacted the one and a half mile long Key Bridge.
The two people rescued from the water soon after the collision received the mayday call and were stopping vehicles from crossing the bridge when it collapsed, saving numerous lives.
“It's an eerie feeling knowing I was hours away from possibly being on the news. It’s one of those that reminds you that you are alive and that nothing in life is guaranteed,” NHS senior Gjin Abazi said. Abazi was driving on the Key Bridge less than 48 hours before the collapse.
The Dali’s lights completely shut off and smoke was seen coming out of the chimney at 1:25 AM. The ship struck the bridge at roughly 9 miles per hour, causing it to lose stability and fall within seconds. The Dali was never submerged, and all 22 of the ship's passengers were accounted for after the collision.
The Dali cargo ship was “fully up to code,” Maryland Governor Wes Moore said, but is currently under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Moore declared a state of emergency in the time period following the crash and five vehicles were found submerged in the water.
This was not the Dali’s first crash. In July 2016, it struck a bay area of a port in Belgium, causing damage to the area. However, the ship was recently examined in September by the U.S. Coast Guard where it was deemed safe.
“There has to be better ways to perform these inspections. I feel like these vehicle malfunctions are too common and can definitely be avoided,” NHS junior Gianna Galassi said.
President Joe Biden vowed to supply 60 million dollars in Federal funding to rebuild the bridge, and spoke to the people of Baltimore expressing his condolences. Despite the fact that the loss of the bridge will not completely diminish the economic flow of Baltimore, it is predicted that people of surrounding areas will lose jobs due to transportation issues and traffic.
Baltimore is a community largely dependent on goods transportation through their ports, and this will cause a major local inconvenience. The Patapsco River, which is where the Key Bridge crossed, plays an important role in the East Coast’s shipping industry. In total, the area generates 3.3 billion dollars each year and directly employs over 15,000 people.