Collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore: dramatic images of the disaster appear with the dawn

With the first light of the morning on the enormous Patapsco River they appeared in all their grandeur images of a dramatic nightwhen a Singapore-flagged ship collided with one of the pillars of the majestic Key Bridge by Francis Scott in Baltimore, toppling it like dominoes and dragging the cars and their passengers into the depths of the icy water. About 20 people were wanted.

Twisted irons, spilled on the water like paper figures, and the gigantic cargo ship trapped in those same irons like if they were a spider’s web. Patapasco’s frozen four-degree Celsius water was a large calm mirror Monday morning, but with horror in its depths.

Maritime transit has been “suspended until further notice” in the Port of Baltimoreone of the most active in the United States, after the bridge collapsed, the Maryland state transportation secretary announced.

“Vessel traffic in and out of the Port of Baltimore is suspended until further notice. The port remains open to truck traffic,” Secretary Paul Wiedefeld told reporters.

Shortly thereafter occurred the collision of the cargo ship “Dali” with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore after the ship lost poweraccording to a video of the incident, although Baltimore police assure this there are no signs of a terrorist attack.

Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley insisted there were no indications of terrorism or that the bridge had been attacked.

The bridge more than 2 kilometers long and which is part of I-695, one of the most important roads on the route connecting New York to Washington, collapsed around 1:30 local time (2:30 in Argentina) this Tuesday, when the freighter, which was headed leaving the port of Baltimore, it struck one of its piers.

The cargo ship lost power twice, according to video from the Port of Baltimore, and a plume of smoke could be seen appearing before the collision.

Two people were rescued alive from Baltimore’s Patapsco River. One of them serious. But sonar images show there are many cars in the water.

The city’s fire chief, James Wallace, informed local media that of the two people rescued, one was unharmed and refused treatment, while the other was taken to hospital and his condition is serious.

Seven people are known to be missing and actively wanted, but it’s “a dynamic number,” Wallace said, meaning there could be many more. Some sources speak of 20 people searched.

There were people working on the Francis Scott Key Bridge

Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld provided an update to reporters along with the U.S. Coast Guard.

Wiedefeld said itThere were contractors working on the bridge at the time of the collapsethat they were “doing something repairs on the concrete platform.”

He added that vessel traffic in and out of the Port of Baltimore – except for trucks – has been suspended while the search and rescue mission continues.

Traffic on I-695, of which the bridge is part, it was also diverted.

A spokesperson for the US Coast Guard told reporters Their main mission at the moment is to search for “survivors in the water”.

They lined up on the spot three small boatsan 87-foot patrol boat, as well helicopters.

Wiedefeld said it There are currently no confirmed deaths. and also stressed that it is too early in the investigation to know exactly what caused the collapse.