The entire 22-member crew of the cargo ship that struck a major bridge in Baltimore early on March 26, causing it to snap and plunge into the river below are Indians, the company said.
The Singapore-flagged container ship "Dali" collided with one of the pillars of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore at approximately 1:30 am local time.
According to the vessel information provided by the Synergy Marine Group, the crew was “All Indian, 22 in total”.
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The operators of a cargo ship lost power and issued a mayday call moments before slamming into a Baltimore bridge, enabling authorities to limit vehicle traffic on the span, the Maryland governor said.
The container ship rammed into the major bridge caused it to snap and plunge into the river below. Several vehicles fell into the chilly waters, and rescuers searched for survivors.
It was also not clear what caused the cargo ship to crash into the Francis Scott Key Bridge long before the busy morning commute in what one official called a “developing mass casualty event” in a major American city just outside of Washington.
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The “Dali” has a capacity of 10,000 TEU and onboard Units: of 4,679 TEU.
Grace Ocean Private Ltd owns the vessel and the ship’s movement was outbound from Baltimore to Colombo.
Owners and managers of the Singapore-flagged container ship “DALI” 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 March 26, ship management company Synergy Marine Group said in a statement.
It said: “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.” Whilst the exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined, the “DALI” has now mobilised its Qualified Individual Incident Response service.
The U.S. 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.
A helicopter flies over a container ship as it rests against wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, as seen from Pasadena, Md. | Photo Credit: AP
“We are horrified by what has happened in Baltimore, and our thoughts are with all of those affected," Maersk said in a statement.
"We can confirm that the container vessel 'DALI', operated by charter vessel company Synergy Group, is time chartered by Maersk and is carrying Maersk customers’ cargo. No Maersk crew and personnel were onboard the vessel," the statement said.
"We are closely following the investigations conducted by authorities and Synergy, and we will do our utmost to keep our customers informed," it said.
It was unclear what caused the cargo ship to crash into the bridge in the major American city just outside of Washington.
It was also not clear how many people might be in the water.
