Baltimore Bridge Collapse: US President Joe Biden hails Indian-origin crew for timely ‘mayday’ call

United States President Joe Biden has praised the vigilance displayed by the 22 Indian-origin individuals aboard the ‘Dali’ ship, which collided with a Baltimore bridge, for their swift mayday call, potentially averting further casualties.

The container ship, ‘Dali,’ collided with a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, at approximately 1:30 am local time on March 26. The collision resulted in significant damage, causing the bridge to collapse into the Patapsco River. However, all traffic on the bridge was halted promptly as the 22 crew members aboard the vessel issued a ‘mayday’ call, alerting local authorities to their loss of power.

Commending the crew’s actions, President Biden remarked, “Personnel onboard the ship were able to alert the Maryland Department of Transportation that they had lost control of their vessel. As a result, local authorities were able to close the bridge to traffic before the bridge was struck, which undoubtedly saved lives.”

Maryland Governor Wes Moore echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the crew’s quick response as lifesaving. He stated, “We can confirm that the crew notified authorities of a power issue. These people are heroes. We’re thankful that between the Mayday and the collapse we had officials who were able to begin to stop the flow of traffic. These people are heroes. They saved lives last night.”

Regarding casualties, all 22 crew members, including the two pilots, are reported to be safe, according to the Synergy Marine Group. However, eight members of a nighttime construction crew working on the bridge fell into the water, with only two surviving. Efforts to locate the remaining six individuals are ongoing, with diplomatic sources indicating that they include individuals from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.

While the exact cause of the collision remains under investigation, Governor Moore confirmed that the container ship experienced a power loss before the incident. Both federal and state authorities consider the incident likely to be an accident. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation, leading to the suspension of ship traffic at the Port of Baltimore until further notice.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge serves as a crucial transportation route, handling significant vehicular traffic daily. Its closure has implications for both local and international shipping operations. President Biden has called for government funding to rebuild the collapsed bridge and expedite the reopening of the port.

Providing details about the ‘Dali’ vessel, the Synergy Marine Group revealed that it has a capacity of 10,000 TEU, with 4,679 TEU onboard. The vessel, owned by Grace Ocean Private, had a crew of 22 Indians and was bound from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka.