USA- "Unthinkable tragedy": Major Baltimore bridge collapses after ship collision

Emma Loop

A container ship is shown below the crumbled Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, after dawn.

The Dali container vessel after striking the Francis Scott Key Bridge that collapsed into the Patapsco River in Baltimore, Md., on Mar. 26, 2024. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) has declared a state of emergency following the collapse of a major bridge in Baltimore that has set off a massive search for survivors in the river below.

Driving the news: Officials say a cargo ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which spans the Patapsco River, at around 1:30am ET Tuesday.

What they're saying: "I have declared a State of Emergency here in Maryland and we are working with an interagency team to quickly deploy federal resources from the Biden Administration," Moore wrote on X at around 6am ET.

Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg said he had spoken with Moore and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott to offer his department's support.

"Rescue efforts remain underway and drivers in the Baltimore area should follow local responder guidance on detours and response," Buttigieg wrote on X.

Scott called the incident an "unthinkable tragedy" at a press conference Tuesday morning.

The latest: Search crews were looking for "upwards of seven people," Baltimore fire chief James Wallace told reporters.

He said rescuers had also removed two people from the water, and that one person had been transported to hospital "in very serious condition."

Zoom in: A YouTube livestream of the bridge shows a large cargo vessel slamming into a support column at 1:28 am ET, causing the entire span to crumble into the water.

That vessel, the Dali container ship, had just left a port in Baltimore and was starting a nearly month-long voyage to Sri Lanka, according to ship tracking sites.

Editor's note: This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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