the damaged ship launched an SOS before the collision

Maryland Governor Wes Moore said the bridge was “fully up to code” before the accident.

Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said officials are looking at other transportation options for the approximately 35,000 people who use the bridge each day.

“To give you an idea of ​​the scale of the task, about 35,000 people use this bridge every day,” he said.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore explained at a press conference that the damaged vessel sent a distress call upstream, which helped reduce traffic on the bridge and saved lives.

“These people are heroes. They saved lives last night,” Wes Moore said of the ship’s crew who managed to notify authorities that they were experiencing a problem, as the ship was moving to a “fast” speed of eight knots (nearly 15 km per hour).

While there were previously seven, six people are still wanted, officials announced at a press conference. These are workers present on the bridge while they were filling potholes.

At the time of the accident, eight workers fell into the water. In addition to the six wanted, one of them is in hospital in critical condition while the other was recovered without damage.

The container ship had an “electrical problem”, announced Wes Moore, the governor of the US state of Maryland.

“We can confirm that the crew informed the authorities of a power supply problem,” he said, stressing that a “distress call was made”.

More information here.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore calls the collapse of their state’s beloved Francis Scott Key Bridge “shocking” and “heartbreaking.”

“We are going to make sure that this bridge is rebuilt, even more, that it is rebuilt in a way that honors the people affected by this tragedy,” announces Wes Moore, without being able to give a timetable.

In a press conference, the governor of Maryland, Wes Moore, confirmed that the first elements of the investigation are counting on an accident.

“We are currently carrying out investigations. So we do not yet have any details about the accident,” he said.

The FBI’s Baltimore Division says on X that “there is currently no specific, credible information suggesting any connection to terrorism.”

The Federal Office adds that “the investigation is ongoing”.

“Numerous Baltimore County water rescue and dive teams are deployed to the scene of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and continue to provide assistance,” says the Baltimore County Fire Department on X.

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“This is a multi-jurisdictional, multi-agency effort leveraging federal, state and local resources,” he adds.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has banned anyone from “flying an aircraft” in a wide area around the collapsed bridge so as not to interfere with rescue operations. A measure effective since 8:15 a.m. (1:15 p.m. French time), until further notice.

On X, the government agency calls on drone pilots in particular. “Do not interfere with rescue operations. If you steal, rescue operations will not be able to do so,” it says.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore arrived at the scene of the accident less than an hour ago. He notably provided an update on current interventions.

Shipping to and from Baltimore, one of the busiest ports in the United States, was suspended, authorities said.

Maryland Secretary of Transportation asserts that people were working on the bridge when it collapsed.

“We know there were people on the bridge at the time of the collapse who were working on the bridge, contract workers for us,” Paul Wiedefeld said.

Motorists were asked to delay travel or find alternate routes in the Francis Scott Key Bridge area.

Additionally, local police departments have called on Baltimore residents to telework “where possible.”

As the sun rose over the east coast of the United States, aerial images showed the extent of the damage on the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

The causes of the collision have not yet been determined, ship officials said in a statement.

“While the exact causes of the incident remain to be determined, the ‘Dali’ has mobilized its response service,” the company said, adding that it was “fully cooperating with federal and state government agencies.” .

The authorities believe that it is not yet possible to confirm whether or not there was a fuel leak from the damaged vessel.

Fire Chief James Wallace says the Coast Guard and environmental teams will investigate the possibility.

Baltimore’s police commissioner says there is “absolutely no indication” that the incident was intentional or terrorist in origin.

An investigation is underway to determine the causes of the accident. The FBI is notably involved.

Responding to questions from reporters, the Baltimore fire chief said the crew of the ship that hit the bridge were still on board, adding that none were injured, according to the management company.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott deplores “an inconceivable tragedy” after the bridge collapsed. He says the priority must be to focus on search and rescue operations.

At a press conference, Baltimore’s fire chief says authorities pulled two people from the water this morning. The first was not injured but the other was taken to hospital in serious condition.

James Wallace adds that rescue operations are continuing, in particular to find “seven people at this stage”.

“Our sonar detected the presence of vehicles submerged in the water,” said James Wallace.

More information here.

“I declared a state of emergency in Maryland,” says in a press release the governor of the state, where the city of Baltimore is located, Wes Moore.

“We are working with an interagency team to rapidly deploy the Biden administration’s federal resources,” he added.

“We are grateful to the brave men and women working to save those involved and we pray for everyone’s safety,” Wes Moore said.

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) confirms that vehicles fell into the water after the collapse of the Baltimore bridge.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed overnight after a ship passed through it. Spectacular images show the damage caused.

Freezing temperatures and limited visibility at the bridge collapse site “are a problem” as rescue teams search for at least 20 people who may have fallen into the water, said Kevin Cartwright of the Baltimore Fire Department. in comments reported by CNN.

“Where I am, it feels like at least -1°C. It might be a little lower than that. And I’m sure the water temperature is even colder…

And this can constitute a problem and a risk for our divers,” he detailed.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the current water temperature in Baltimore Harbor is between 9 and 10°C.

Shipping traffic tracking site MarineTraffic showed a Singapore-flagged container ship named Dali stopped under the bridge early Tuesday morning.

The ship’s owners confirmed that it struck the building around 1:30 a.m. local time, reports the New York Times. The cause of the collision remains undetermined at this time.

Divers are currently mobilized on site to find potential victims, according to the Baltimore firefighters, cited by the American media.

“We know there are up to 20 people in the Patapsco River right now, along with several vehicles,” Kevin Cartwright of the Baltimore Fire Department told CNN.

Hello everyone and welcome to this live broadcast dedicated to the spectacular collapse in Baltimore, in the eastern United States.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge “collapsed after being struck by a ship,” said the Maryland State Transportation Authority (MTA) on the social network X (formerly Twitter). The organization has ordered motorists to avoid this route which crosses the Patapsco River.