Preliminary Report Reveals Details of Baltimore Bridge Collapse Caused by Cargo Ship

Washington, May 15 : A preliminary report released by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) sheds light on the sequence of events leading to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, following a collision with the cargo ship Dali in March.

According to the report, the Singapore-flagged cargo vessel experienced a loss of electrical power and propulsion just moments before the incident. The ship was approximately 0.6 miles away from the Key Bridge when unexpected electrical breaker openings resulted in a blackout, disabling crucial equipment including steering gear pumps and main engine cooling water pumps.

Despite efforts to restore power, a second electrical blackout occurred when the ship was 0.2 miles away from the bridge. Consequently, the Dali’s starboard bow collided with pier no. 17 of the Key Bridge at a speed of 6.5 knots, leading to the collapse of six spans of the bridge into the water.

The report also highlighted a previous blackout incident experienced by the Dali during in-port maintenance, attributed to a crewmember’s error in closing an inline engine exhaust damper. Additionally, insufficient fuel pressure for the online generator caused a second blackout.

Of the 4,680 containers on board, 56 were identified as containing dangerous goods, adding complexity to the rescue and recovery efforts.

The tragic accident claimed the lives of six road maintenance workers on the bridge, prompting the US Coast Guard to classify it as a major marine casualty. Despite the recovery of the sixth missing worker, investigations by the NTSB are ongoing to determine the probable cause of the incident.

Officials emphasized the need for continued evaluation of the ship’s power distribution system and examination of damage to the vessel, once it is cleared of debris and moved to a shoreside facility.

In efforts to facilitate recovery operations, a controlled precision-cut demolition was conducted on Monday to remove a large steel section of the collapsed bridge, aiming to free the cargo ship from the debris.

As investigations progress, authorities remain committed to uncovering the circumstances surrounding the tragic bridge collapse and ensuring measures are in place to prevent similar incidents in the future.