Baltimore Bridge Collapse: 2 Rescued, 1 In Critical Condition As Search Continues

Updates about Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge continue to pour in, with the latest revealing that two people have been rescued while at least seven remain missing.

As The Blast previously reported, the bridge tragically collapsed early Tuesday morning after it was struck by a large cargo ship leaving the Port of Baltimore. The entirety of the damages caused by this incident remains unknown as the massive emergency response is ongoing.

James Wallace, chief of the Baltimore City Fire Department, revealed at a news conference that several vehicles were on the bridge at the time of impact and plunged into the Patapsco River.

Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld also noted that multiple contractors were working on "concrete deck" repairs on the bridge. However, how many workers were on the bridge when it collapsed is unclear.

As for the progress of the search, Wallace shared that two people were rescued in the initial hours of the emergency response. Unfortunately, one is in "very serious condition," while the other is unharmed, per USA Today.

It is unclear if the two rescued are part of the seven people believed to be in the water, but the number reportedly has nothing to do with the crew on the ship responsible for the bridge's collapse.

As stated, the crew on the ship that collided with the bridge were not among the people in the Patapsco River.

According to Wallace, the vessel's personnel remain on the boat, but they cannot be rescued until the cargo ship has been assessed for damages.

According to Wiedefeld, the ship is currently not suspected of intentionally causing the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

He confirmed at a news conference that authorities have found no evidence to indicate the incident was intentional or an act of terrorism, saying:

"We don't see anything that relates to that. It's an open investigation, but there's nothing that points in that direction."

Following the incident, several local, state, and federal agencies are leading the massive search across a vast section of the river. Their efforts are focused above and below the water's surface, plus the cargo ship, per Wallace.

The emergency response features divers, helicopters, and sonar technology. Thanks to their efforts, several vehicles submerged in the river were located about 50 feet deep from where the bridge collapsed.

In response to the situation, the governor of Maryland, Wes Moore, declared a state of emergency. He also noted that he is working with an interagency team to "quickly deploy federal resources from the Biden Administration."

The White House confirmed that President Joe Biden has been briefed on the Francis Scott Key Bridge's collapse and the ongoing search and rescue efforts. They stated that he would continue to receive updates from his team throughout the day.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with the Baltimore Fire Department's director of communications, Kevin Cartwright, noting that numerous 911 calls came in around 1:30 a.m.

He described the bridge's collapse as a "mass casualty incident;" however, only seven people are believed to be unaccounted for. Additionally, the new reports note that two individuals have been rescued, so there may be just five people left for rescue personnel to find.

As for the ship responsible for this incident, tracking data from LSEG revealed the Singapore-flagged container vessel called the Dali had been at the location along the Key Bridge where the accident occurred.

The Synergy Marine Group, which manages the ship, confirmed the Dali had caused the tragic incident after colliding with one of the bridge's pillars. Fortunately, all of its crew members, including two pilots, have been accounted for, and there were no reports of any injuries.

The tragic loss of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge sparked a slew of concerned messages from social media users, with many sharing their reactions on X. One individual lamented:

"Seeing that bridge collapse in Baltimore is devastating, and to know people were driving on it and couldn't do nothing about it as it crashed into the water is even more devastating lord, I can't imagine that and the feeling they must have felt."

Another person highlighted why the bridge is crucial to many, writing, "The reason why the Key bridge is so important: fuel or other chemicals cannot enter the tunnels."

"Baltimore is about to go through a serious crisis. Most major supplies cross the bridge. Rerouting is not a simple thing. It's going to be a logistical fluster cluck," the X user concluded.