MARYLAND (US) : The Singapore-flagged vessel that collided with one of the pillars of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland, leading to its collapse on Tuesday, had an all-Indian crew of 22 members, the ship company said.
Synergy Maritime Group said in a statement that there were 22 Indians on board and all of them were Indians.
“The owners and managers of the Singapore-flagged container ship “DALI” (IMO 9697428) report that the vessel collided with one of the pillars of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, Baltimore whilst under pilotage with two pilots on-board, at approximately 01:30 local time on 26th March,” the company said in a statement.
All crew members, including the two pilots, have been accounted for and there are no reports of any injuries. There has also been no pollution, it added.
The Singapore-flagged cargo ship Dali “lost propulsion” as it was leaving the Baltimore harbour and warned Maryland officials of a possible collision with the bridge, CBS News reported, citing an unclassified CISA bulletin.
The shipping company has said that the cause of the collision wasn’t known but all crew members were accounted for. However, Governor Moore has refuted any evidence of a ‘terrorist attack’ in the incident.
“We haven’t seen any credible evidence of a terrorist attack,” the New York Time quoted Moore as saying.
Earlier, following the incident, Maryland governor Wes Moore declared a state of emergency on Monday
The authorities confirmed on Tuesday that they believe only a construction crew of eight people, repairing potholes, and their vehicles were on the bridge at the time of the collision.
The repairs had “nothing to do with a structural issue at all on the facility,” Maryland Secretary of Transportation Paul J Wiedefeld noted, The Hill reported.
The Maryland Governor said that the crew on the ship did issue a “mayday,” alerting authorities that it had lost propulsion before the collision. Moore added that that information did allow traffic to be stopped from coming over the bridge, potentially saving even more from falling into the water.
But, Moore, as well as Bill DelBagno, the newly-named special agent in charge of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, confirmed that “there is no specific or credible information to suggest that there are ties to terrorism in this incident.”
The bridge, located south of Baltimore, spans more than 1.5 miles across the Patapsco River. It opened in March 1977, serving as a major connecting point, The Hill reported.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge, named for the writer of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” has undergone various renovations over the years, but was “up to code,” Governor Moore said Tuesday.
In 2023, more than 12.4 million vehicles crossed the Key Bridge, according to data collected by NewsNation. Daily, the bridge serves about 30,000 commuters, Moore added. (ANI)