Maryland Governor Wes Moore declared a state of emergency following a devastating incident on March 26, when a ship collided with Baltimore’s Francis Key Bridge, causing a significant portion of it to collapse into the Patapsco River.

The serene night of March 26 was shattered in Baltimore as enormous plumes of smoke and fire illuminated the sky at 1:30 AM (4:30 PM AEST), following the collision of the Dali cargo ship, registered under the Singapore flag, with the Francis Scott Key Bridge. This catastrophic event was triggered by a loss of power aboard the Dali as it was departing the Port of Baltimore for Sri Lanka, leading to the ship striking the bridge and causing its collapse. Videos circulating online depict the harrowing moment of impact, showing bridge debris falling onto the cargo ship’s front section.

Amidst this disaster, a construction crew working on the bridge found themselves in peril. Six workers are currently reported missing, while two others were rescued promptly, with one requiring hospitalization. As the hours since the tragedy unfold, the likelihood of the missing workers’ survival in the frigid waters dims. Nonetheless, Colonel Roland Butler of the Maryland State Police confirmed that divers would resume the search for the workers’ remains at dawn on Wednesday. Governor Moore emphasized the state’s commitment to mobilizing federal resources through an interagency collaboration in response to the emergency.

A potentially greater disaster was narrowly averted thanks to the ship’s crew, who promptly alerted authorities about the failure, allowing for the timely halt of traffic on the bridge prior to the accident.

The cause of the ship’s power failure remains under investigation by the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB). While preliminary theories have been suggested, detailed findings are yet to be disclosed.