iNDICA NEWS BUREAU–
The 22-member crew on the Singapore-flagged container ship Dali, which collided with the iconic Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore city early on Tuesday, causing it to collapse, were all Indians and all are safe, as per the shipping company.
“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 onboard, at approximately 01.30 local time on 26th March,” the Synergy Marine Group 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 said, listing the crew as “All Indian, 22 in total”.
The Indian Embassy in the US shared a hotline number for those affected or who require assistance. “Our heartfelt condolences to all affected by the unfortunate accident at the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. For any Indian citizens that may be affected / require assistance, the Embassy of India has created a dedicated hotline: Please reach out to us on +1-202-717-1996. Kindly avoid directing routine queries / request to this number,” the Indian Embassy in the US posted on X.
The ship was bound from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Whilst the exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined, the ‘DALI’ has now mobilised its Qualified Individual Incident response service, it said, adding that the US Coast Guard and local officials have been notified, and the owners and managers are fully cooperating with Federal and State government agencies under an approved plan.
US officials said that the ship crew had reported power issues before the collision and Maryland Governor Wes Moore said they had saved lives by their timely warning, media reports said.
However, the Maryland state police said late Tuesday that the six construction workers on the bridge who were missing after bridge collapsed, have been presumed dead.
Earlier, as stated by President Joe Biden, eight people were unaccounted for after the Baltimore Bridge collapse, out of which two were rescued, while the rescue operation was ongoing for the remaining six before being suspended.
The police official added, “Ship traffic in the port of Baltimore has been suspended until further notice and we’ll need to clear that channel before the ship traffic can resume…It’s my intention that the federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstructing that bridge…The people of Baltimore can count on us.”
When asked about the crew on board and their nationality, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy said, “The question is who was on board the vessel and their nationalities. I have heard conflicting information on that…”
She said, “I have seen information about crew members on board. We still need to verify the numbers of crew on board and their status.”
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore was not an ordinary bridge and was “one of the cathedrals of American infrastructure” and added that “the path to normalcy will not be easy.”
He praised the “extraordinary and courageous work” of the first responders, “some of whom are in that cold water right now, some of whom are from right here.”
Maryland Governor Wes Moore said that the container ship, before colliding with the Francis Scott Key Bridge made a ‘mayday’ call, which prompted officials to stop traffic and try to evacuate people on the bridge, the New York Times reported citing several federal and Maryland officials.
Governor Moore said that this rapid response helped save lives. “These people are heroes.”
Buttigieg said, “We are all putting our arms around the community of Baltimore, and that is true for all of this country.”
He noted that he has heard from counterparts as far away as the UK reaching out to express their support for the people of Baltimore. Buttigieg said he is in close contact with the governor, the mayor, the county leadership, and the congressional delegation.
“As President Biden has made clear, the federal government will provide all of the support that they need for as long as it takes,” he said.
Meanwhile, the US Maritime Administration will help with harbor port, harbor and supply chain operations.
“The Federal Aviation Administration is even involved, working to keep the airspace above the bridge clear for emergency personnel,” Buttigieg said. “We’re going to be working closely with the National Transportation Safety Board as they lead their independent investigation and with the Coast Guard as they continue operations in the water.”
A local Baltimore resident, Crystal Pears, said that if the bridge had collapsed later in the day, it would have been a tragedy as thousands of people commute through that bridge. “My husband is a truck driver, and he uses that bridge to commute… For me, it would have hit home… had it happened at 1:40 in the afternoon, we would have had a very different experience…,” Pears said.
She said the bridge has a very strong history. “It’s where our national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner, comes from. It’s named after Francis Scott Key, the writer of our national anthem,” she highlighted.
Pears added that the bridge was built 47 years ago, hence, there’s a lot of sentimentality in the community about the bridge. “People who live in this community, their grandparents and their parents helped build that bridge 47 years ago, and it just hit its birthday this month. So there’s a lot of sentimentality in the community,” she said.
