In a press conference held by Maryland Governor Wes Brown, the crew of the container ship that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore was praised for their quick thinking and timely warning that saved lives. According to Governor Brown, the ship was previously disabled and heading towards the bridge at high speed when it sent out a distress signal before impact. Thanks to this warning, more cars were able to stop in time, preventing a major disaster.
The FBI has ruled out any possibility of the collision being a terrorist attack. Following the incident, two people were rescued from the Patapsco River with one in serious condition. However, six individuals believed to be part of the construction crew working on the bridge are still missing. Additionally, three cars and two trucks also fell into the river during this event.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge, which opened in 1977 and is named after author of Star Spangled Banner, is a vital link in Baltimore Harbor. With its closure and suspension of traffic in Port of Baltimore, experts warn that there could be disruptions to supply chain affecting goods ranging from cars to coal and sugar. The closure of one of the main ports on US East Coast could lead to bottlenecks, delays and increased costs. Despite this setback authorities are continuing with rescue and recovery efforts while investigating cause of collision.
