Baltimore has left six individuals presumed dead, sending shockwaves through the community. The devastating impact of such a catastrophic event serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the unpredictable nature of accidents.
As rescue teams work tirelessly to search for survivors and recover bodies from the wreckage, questions arise about what led to this horrific collision. Was it human error, mechanical failure, or some other unforeseen circumstance? These are inquiries that will undoubtedly be scrutinized in the days and weeks to come as authorities investigate the cause of this tragedy.
By Tuesday evening, search-and-rescue efforts for six people who were working on the bridge when it collapsed had transitioned into a recovery mission, Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon N. Gilreath said.
Francis Scott Key Bridge and caused it to collapse around 1:30 a.m.
Jeffrey Pritzker, executive vice president of Brawner Builders, earlier said that one person had survived. Their names were not released.
Footage of the crash also showed the 984-foot long vessel, which had been chartered to carry cargo by Danish shipping giant Maersk, was in the wrong part of the channel as it approached the bridge.
The ship crashed into a pillar toward one side of the bridge instead of crossing under the middle of the bridge, where the clearance is highest.
“The container ship must have significantly damaged the support structure, and a bridge of this span, if the support structure loses its or even displaces significantly, that could be enough to cause the bridge to fail,” Hajjar says. “And once that support structure goes, the distance to the next supports on either side are too far.”
Hajjar continues: “It’s possible that as the support failed, it was essentially pulling down the bridge as well. But even if the bridge had just been bearing on it, if that support structure starts to fail, and it permits the bridge to deflect down significantly — that’s enough to cause the failure.”
Ryan Petersen, the CEO of Flexport, a supply chain management company, said Americans should expect shortages of goods in the coming weeks. He predicted the collision would create a “vicious feedback loop” that would resonate beyond Baltimore’s economy.
Baltimore’s private and public terminals handled 847,158 cars and light trucks in 2023, the most of any US port. The port also handles farm and construction machinery, sugar, gypsum and coal, according to the Maryland State Government website.
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