Six Presumed Dead After Vessel- Bridge Collision

On March 26, 2024, a cargo vessel named Dali collided with the Baltimore Bridge in the United States resulting in the collapse of the bridge into the Patapsco River.

Dali, which is owned by Grace Ocean Private, a Singapore-based company that provides water transportation services was heading to Sri Lanka.

Following the collision, six missing people have been presumed dead.

The missing people are believed to be construction workers repairing potholes at the time of the collision.

The crew of the Dali, all Indians, attempted to drop anchor to prevent the crash.

"Just prior to the incident, the vessel, Dali, had experienced momentary loss of propulsion. As a result, it was unable to maintain the desired heading and collided," said the maritime authority for Singapore, where the Dali is flagged.

Fortunately, none of the 22 crew members were injured.

Active search-and-rescue operations were suspended about 18 hours after the accident, U.S. Coast Guard and Maryland State Police officials said.

According to Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath, there was no hope of finding the missing workers alive due to the frigid water and the length of time elapsed since the accident.

"Based on the length of time that we've gone in this search, the extensive search efforts that we put into it, the water temperature... at this point, we do not believe that we're going to find any of these individuals still alive," US Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath told a press conference as night fell.

The Dali, sailing under the Singapore flag, is now stuck in debris from the Francis Scott Key bridge. Baltimore county executive and Maryland Governor have commented on the incident, expressing plans for rebuilding the bridge in memory of those affected and ensuring the port's functionality.

President Joe Biden has pledged government support to cover the costs of reconstruction. The Indian Embassy in Washington D.C. has established a hotline for affected citizens.