Baltimore, MD - Container Ship Strikes Francis Scott Key Bridge - Mass Casualty Situation

DNA Solves
DNA Solves
DNA Solves
Yikes, that's what it looked like from video. NTSB will be checking all the safety, incident and maintenance records.
It went out, came back, went out, came back, and went out a final time on impact.

I'm not an expert, but that says to me some kind of major electrical fault, shorting out, going off, emergency power shorting out, going off...I think something crucial failed catastrophically, and every time the power came back on, it cut out again because of safety mechanisms. Like the switches in your power box on the front of your home. If something's plugged in that is causing a problem, then the circuit is just going to keep breaking until you unplug it.

But what applies to a home may not apply to an enormous cargo ship, so, MOO.
 
It went out, came back, went out, came back, and went out a final time on impact.

I'm not an expert, but that says to me some kind of major electrical fault, shorting out, going off, emergency power shorting out, going off...I think something crucial failed catastrophically, and every time the power came back on, it cut out again because of safety mechanisms. Like the switches in your power box on the front of your home. If something's plugged in that is causing a problem, then the circuit is just going to keep breaking until you unplug it.

But what applies to a home may not apply to an enormous cargo ship, so, MOO.

There was also the large clouds of black smoke that came out of something towards the back of the ship. Something was obviously malfunctioning, possible a small fire, too.

ETA: I hope the "supply chain issues" don't result in price hikes and other mercenary activities.
 
Last edited:
Such mammoth vessels should NEVER be allowed to travel during rush hours.

Or the journey through the bridge should be stopped if it happens.

Otherwise it is an invitation for disaster IMO.

Besides,
this particular vessel seems to be in bad shape.
Come on,
losing power just starting its voyage ??? :oops:

JMO
Busy ports are in business 24/7. I lived near one of Australia's biggest coal ports. Foghorns at all hours, always about a dozen ships (that you could see, probably more further out) waiting for their turn to enter.

Different places handle things differently. If you saw the link I posted earlier about the parallels with the Tasman Bridge disaster, after the bridge was repaired, it was fitted with traffic signals and the traffic is stopped while ships pass under. The Tasman Bridge disaster was fifty years ago, and that protocol is still in place today. No traffic above while ships pass below. But plenty around the world have ships passing and traffic flowing freely without restriction. It depends a lot on the harbour, the roads, and the bridge. The Sydney Harbour bridge has no central pylons at all - they're all on land. I think ANZAC bridge is similar. But Sydney Harbour is, I think much narrower at the points those bridges cross than the distance covered by the Key. So having that distance covered without support probably isn't possible, so it's about minimising the risks. I think that the likelihood is that whatever form the replacement takes, they'll probably put a whole bunch of those dolphins in that have been mentioned in reference to the Skyway rebuild, if for no other reason than it might make some difference, so it's worth it for peace of mind.

MOO
 
Last edited:
Miguel Luna, 49, was one of the workers who tragically lost their life in result of the bridge collapse, his wife said.

Miguel Luna, 49, was one of the workers who tragically lost their life in result of the bridge collapse, his wife told Telemundo.

So far, Miguel Luna and Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval, have been the only two identified among the half-dozen presumed dead, according to reports.

And the death toll could be higher than those six, as Maryland State Police officials warned it’s possible motorists were also on the bridge when it crumbled into the Patapsco. Divers will resume their search at 6 a.m., Wednesday to look for bodies.

Maynor Suazo, 37, arrived in the United States in 2003 from Honduras and started working for the construction company last year, the Journal reported.

His brother, Carlos Suazo, said his loved one, the youngest of eight siblings, was cheerful and chatty and loved to host others. He would have a packed home every Christmas, Suazo told the publication.

“For my mom, I think this is the worst information she has ever received,” Carlos said while showing a photo of another brother in Honduras consoling their mother. “Maynor was her baby, the spoiled one.”

The family had not yet told Maynor’s 5-year-old daughter, Alexa, that her father was likely not coming home Tuesday night.

“She was glued to her dad. Her dad was everything to her,” Carlos told the Journal. “They haven’t told her anything. Just that her dad hasn’t arrived.” :(
Heartbreaking.
 
The reason a Dali cargo ship crashed into Baltimore's Key Bridge and caused a catastrophic collapse may be revealed later today.

Officials say they have recovered the doomed freight's black box from the wreckage, as National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy said it might provide answers.

'From the data, we hope to develop a timeline of events that led up to the striking of the bridge,' she told CBS Good Morning. 'We hope to have that later today.'

It comes as rescue teams admitted their efforts have become a search for bodies
, with six construction crewmembers believed to have been killed in the horror wreckage overnight Monday.

The video clip in the above article and link -- clearly shows the ship's power shutting down, then going back on, then off again !

Definitely shore up the bridges with extra protection ... however in this case it seems the ship should have maybe already been decommissioned ?
Not pilot error nor bridge instability, but the ship's company at fault ?
Just pointing that out.
Omo.
 
The reason a Dali cargo ship crashed into Baltimore's Key Bridge and caused a catastrophic collapse may be revealed later today.

Officials say they have recovered the doomed freight's black box from the wreckage, as National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy said it might provide answers.

'From the data, we hope to develop a timeline of events that led up to the striking of the bridge,' she told CBS Good Morning. 'We hope to have that later today.'

It comes as rescue teams admitted their efforts have become a search for bodies
, with six construction crewmembers believed to have been killed in the horror wreckage overnight Monday.

The video clip in the above article and link -- clearly shows the ship's power shutting down, then going back on, then off again !

Definitely shore up the bridges with extra protection ... however in this case it seems the ship should have maybe already been decommissioned ?
Not pilot error nor bridge instability, but the ship's company at fault ?
Just pointing that out.
Omo.
The ship is only nine years old. These vessels often sail for decades.

MOO
 
Baltimore Harbor shipping halted.

At least 10 ships bound for Baltimore drop anchor nearby​


At least 10 commercial ships that were sailing to the US port of Baltimore have dropped anchor in waters nearby, data from ship tracking and maritime analytics provider MarineTraffic shows.
The vessels included container and bulk carrier ships that were signalling their destination as Baltimore, the data showed.
Port traffic has been suspended until further notice, Maryland transport authorities said.
Baltimore port’s private and public terminals handled 847,158 autos and light trucks in 2023, the most of any US port. The port also handles farm and construction machinery, sugar, gypsum and coal, according to a Maryland government website.

You can see them on this image from Maritime Ship Tracker

They are a cluster of green dots just east of Annapolis. They are already kind of a channel-blocking hazard.

 
Last edited:
The ship is only nine years old. These vessels often sail for decades.

MOO

I wonder....
Do the ships undergo some inspections by port authorities before they start merrily down the river under the bridges packed with cars travelling?

I mean - a massive vessel with poor maintenance might prove to be safety hazard, no?

As this tragedy showed.

RIP to victims.
They were just doing their job.
Condolences to Families :(

JMO
 
Last edited:
I wonder....
Do the ships undergo some inspections by port authorities before they start merrily down the river under the bridges packed with cars travelling?

I mean - a massive vessel with poor maintenance might prove to be safety hazard, no?

As this tragedy proved.

RIP to victims.
They were just doing their job.
Condolences to Families :(

JMO
Passed its most recent inspections, wasn't due another until June.

 
I wonder....
Do the ships undergo some inspections by port authorities before they start merrily down the river under the bridges packed with cars travelling?

I mean - a massive vessel with poor maintenance might prove to be safety hazard, no?

As this tragedy proved.

RIP to victims.
They were just doing their job.
Condolences to Families :(

JMO
Close up photos of this ship showed rust, and wear & tear.
It looked older than nine years, imo.
The electrical/power failures for a not-so-old ship are very concerning !
 
Annapolis, MD does not have a port that is usable for cargo or tanker loading or unloading.

The Port of Norfolk, VA is the next logical port for these ships. They have the most interesting opening video that has me spellbound.

This really shows the complexity and mechanical issues about having a major commercial deep water port.

The kid in me is finding this spellbinding. There should be a Dinky Toy set with the trucks, the shipping containers, the cranes, the tracks and the ships. Forget about a train set for Christmas. I want a Port set. That would be so cool.

Take a look at this:

 
Bringing this up for Domino sugar folks the plant is up northwest harbor, Locust Point. No deliveries by water for a while. The impact to the area employment wise is going to be big.

Likewise, no coal shipping. This may be a problem for their coal-dependent customers that use coal to run electrical plants worldwide.

No vehicle shipments in or out of the #1 port for vehicle delivery in the US.
 
Annapolis, MD does not have a port that is usable for cargo or tanker loading or unloading.

The Port of Norfolk, VA is the next logical port for these ships. They have the most interesting opening video that has me spellbound.

This really shows the complexity and mechanical issues about having a major commercial deep water port.

The kid in me is finding this spellbinding. There should be a Dinky Toy set with the trucks, the shipping containers, the cranes, the tracks and the ships. Forget about a train set for Christmas. I want a Port set. That would be so cool.

Take a look at this:

There was a report last night that Virginia and New York would be taking up the load until Baltimore was open for ships again. So I imagine you're correct and that Norfolk will probably be one of those seeing increased traffic in the weeks and months to come.

MOO
 
Likewise, no coal shipping. This may be a problem for their coal-dependent customers that use coal to run electrical plants worldwide.

No vehicle shipments in or out of the #1 port for vehicle delivery in the US.
I think both those industries being directly affected are going to be why I don't think federal promises of swift help are empty. I've lived in a coal port, it is big, big business, and big money for a country, not just a city or region. They're going to want it fixed pronto. I think the clearing of the harbour will be done in weeks, asap, to get that flow of ships and goods moving again. The rebuilding of the bridge will likely take years.

MOO
 
from page 46 of a 1980 NTSB (Natl Trans Safety Board) PROBABLE CAUSE report of a bridge collapse:
"Contributing to the loss of life and to the extensive damage was the lack of a structural pier protection system which could have absorbed some of the impact force or redirected the vessel. Contributing to the loss of life was the lack of a motorist warning system which could have warned the highway vehicle drivers of the danger ahead."
And under RECOMMENDATIONSs: In cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, conduct a study to determine which existing bridges over the navigable waterways of U. S. ports and harbors are not equipped with adequate structural pier protection. (Class II, Priority Action)(M-81-16)Distribute a copy of the results of the Coast Guard's studies regarding bridge and pier protection systems to each appropriate member of the American Association of State Highway and to the Federal Highway Administration
...Hmmm, Well at least the early warning system was implemented.
Here is the link to the report just in case any of you have a thing for reading NTSB reports & recommendations.
 
Last edited:
The two men that were rescued are the luckiest men alive: one of them didn't even go to the hospital, the other went to the hospital and he was released. So sad for the 6 that could not be rescued. Heart breaking for their families. They were just doing their job ---at 1:30 am- when this horrible freaky thing happens and now they are gone.

Such a horrible tragedy. I live south of Baltimore and it’s a tough day for recovery efforts— temperatures in the 40’s and rain.

I hope the families of the victims are receiving support and comfort. Praying for them all and for the rescue workers.
 

Members online

Online statistics

Members online
187
Guests online
275
Total visitors
462

Forum statistics

Threads
608,545
Messages
18,240,972
Members
234,395
Latest member
Emzoelin
Back
Top