Minutes before disaster struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, the cargo ship Dali faced a catastrophic power failure, leading to a series of events that caused the bridge to collapse.
Around 12:30 a.m., the Dali, loaded with cargo containers, left its dock with 21 crew members from India onboard. Two tugboats guided the ship as it approached the Key Bridge at approximately 1:25 a.m. However, alarms indicating a problem began sounding, and the ship's propulsion system suddenly stopped, causing a complete blackout.
The harbor pilot noticed the ship veering towards the bridge's pier and urgently called for the tugs to return. Despite efforts to steer the ship away and drop the anchor, the 95,000-ton vessel continued drifting uncontrollably towards the bridge.
Authorities swiftly halted traffic on the bridge and attempted to evacuate workers still on it. However, within minutes, the ship collided with the bridge, causing a section to collapse into the Patapsco River by 1:29 a.m.
The collapse resulted in the deaths of seven road workers and an inspector who were unable to evacuate. Two workers were rescued, while four others remain missing. The ship's crew members were unharmed but were detained for investigation.
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In the aftermath, the bridge sustained significant damage, with its central span submerged in the river. The incident prompted an investigation into the cause of the power failure and subsequent collision, as well as efforts to recover the missing workers and assess the extent of the damage to the bridge and surrounding area.
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