Correction: The Francis Scott Key Bridge spans the lower Patapsco River and outer Baltimore Harbor / Port

A key bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, collapsed today into a river after being struck by a container ship, causing at least 20 workers and several vehicles to fall into the river. Six people have been declared to be missing, and a rescue agency mentioned multiple casualties were feared.

A Baltimore City Fire Department spokesperson said the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River after being hit by the container ship in the early hours of the morning on Tuesday (March 26).

According to the BBC, there has been an ongoing multi-agency rescue operation on the scene. It is not currently clear if there have been any casualties. However, six people are currently missing, and are believed to be part of a construction crew that was fixing potholes on the bridge at the time of the incident.

Two other individuals have been rescued, one of whom was taken to the R Adams Cowley Shock Center and has since been discharged from the hospital.

At around 01:30 am local time, a bypasser reportedly called 911, the American emergency telephone number, reporting an incident in the Francis Scott Key Bridge area.

Bored Panda is now (17:15 CET) also informed that a Mayday signal was sent when the vessel was approaching the bridge, which stopped cars driving onto the span and reportedly “saved lives.”

The signal was reportedly made to notify officials that the ship had lost power.

“We’re thankful that between the mayday and the collapse, we had officials who were able to begin to stop the flow of traffic so more cars were not on the bridge,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland, USA, collapsed after being struck by a container ship

Image credits: HaywerdJablomi

Chief Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore City Fire Department, told the BBC in the early hours of the incident that the bridge had been struck by “a large vessel,” causing it to collapse into the Patapsco River.

According to a press briefing released by Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld, eight people were on the bridge at the time of the collapse.

Footage was taken showing the moment “a large vessel” struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge

Image credits: HaywerdJablomi

Image credits: Rob Carr/Getty Images

The Maryland Transport Authority reportedly confirmed that all lanes have been closed in both directions due to an “incident” on the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the US city of Baltimore.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott has since expressed that he was aware of the accident and that he was in contact with local authorities.

Scott said: “I’m aware of and en route to the incident at the Key Bridge… Emergency personnel are on scene, and efforts are underway.”

As of Tuesday 08:47 CET, there were no reports of casualties after the bridge collapsed.  Nevertheless, the temperature in Baltimore Harbour is currently 9°C (48°F), subjecting victims to the risk of hypothermia.

There have not been any reported casualties so far, but several people and vehicles fell into the river

#BREAKINGNEWS #maryland #baltimore #Keybridge collapses after contact with cargo ship pic.twitter.com/A1LmKwZxkX

— Hayward Jablomi (@HaywerdJablomi) March 26, 2024

Image credits: doyle0213

Footage was taken showing the moment “a large vessel” struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the Baltimore Fire Department reportedly said.

There is now an ongoing rescue operation being led by the National Transportation Safety Board in collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge is a historic 1.6-mile (2.6-km) bridge that spans the lower Patapsco River and outer Baltimore Harbor / Port carrying Maryland Route 695 in Baltimore.

It is said to be the longest in Baltimore and the world’s third-longest continuous truss bridge, according to the National News.

Image credits: JupiterImages

Shipping company Synergy Marine Group has confirmed as of 10:22 CET that it was a Singapore-flagged container ship identified as “Dali” responsible for colliding with a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

“Whilst the exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined, the ‘Dali’ has now mobilized its Qualified Individual Incident response service,” the shipping company reportedly said.

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Image credits: kimKBaltimore

All crew members, including the two pilots who were aboard, have been accounted for and there are no reports of any injuries, the company reportedly added.

Ian Firth, a structural engineer and bridge designer, told the BBC a heavy ship like the Dali will impart a very large load of many thousands of tonnes when it hits something solid, such as a bridge support.

“The support is a very, relatively, flimsy structure when you look at it, it’s a kind of trestle structure with individual legs”, he said. “So, the bridge has collapsed simply as a result of this very large impact force.”

The vessel should have been going, of course, down the centre of the channel some 350 metres (1,150ft) wide, Firth explained, “but for whatever reason it must have strayed off and has hit the support.”

US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg confirmed that he is offering federal support in response to the collapse. Buttigieg is expected in Baltimore on Tuesday, CNN reports.

President Joe Biden said he wants the federal government to pay the full cost of rebuilding the bridge.

Records from the Electronic Quality Shipping Information System indicate that the cargo ship was inspected 27 times since its construction in 2015. During these inspections, two “deficiencies” were noted, including one for structural damage.

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