In a tragic incident early Tuesday, the entire 22-member crew of the cargo ship involved in the collision with a major bridge in Baltimore is confirmed to be of Indian nationality, according to the ship management company, Synergy Marine Group.
The collision, which occurred around 1:27 a.m. ET (10:57 am IST), resulted in the snapping and collapse of a significant portion of the bridge into the Patapsco River below. The container ship, named ‘Dali’ and en route to Sri Lanka, struck a pylon of the bridge during navigation down the river. Fortunately, all crew members, including the two pilots, have been safely accounted for, and there are no reports of injuries or pollution, as stated by Synergy Marine Group.
The vessel, registered under Grace Ocean Pte Ltd and flying the Singapore flag, was heavily laden with containers, capable of carrying up to 10,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), though it was carrying 4,679 TEU at the time of the collision.
Tragically, a construction crew working on the bridge suffered casualties, with eight individuals falling into the icy waters of the river. Despite rescue efforts, only two were saved, leaving six still unaccounted for. Eyewitnesses captured the horrifying moment on video, depicting the collapse of the bridge and the subsequent fire that engulfed the vessel.
The scene prompted Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott to declare a state of emergency, describing the event as “an unthinkable tragedy.” Maryland State Senator Johnny Ray Salling emphasized the bridge’s critical role in transportation and commerce, expressing concern over the devastating impact of its loss on the entire area and the East Coast.
