Six people, who were believed to be part of a road construction crew, are presumed dead after Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday morning. The collapse came after a 984-foot cargo ship hit the bridge’s pillar.
Two of the construction workers are from Guatemala and Mexican nationals are also among the victims.
Ahead of the collision, the ship’s crew notified officials with a “mayday” call that allowed authorities to stop traffic before impact and likely saved lives, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.
The collapse that has indefinitely halted the flow of ships in and out of Baltimore could hurt the local economy, strain supply chains and scramble deliveries along the US East Coast.
A US federal government agency said the vessel “lost propulsion” as it was leaving the port.
The crew then warned Maryland transport officials of a possible collision, according to an unclassified Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency report on the incident.
Maryland state governor Wes Moore said he could confirm that “the crew notified authorities of a power issue”, adding that the ship had lost power before smashing into one of the columns supporting the bridge.
