US Bridge Collapse: Indian Embassy expressed grief over Baltimore bridge accident
The Indian Embassy in the US has described the incident of a cargo ship hitting a bridge in Baltimore, Maryland and the bridge falling into the river as ‘unfortunate’. The ship was being managed by a 22-member Indian crew. This incident has halted work at one of the most important ports in northeastern America. Six people are feared dead in the incident. When the ship hit a pillar of the 2.6 kilometer long ‘Francis Scott Key Bridge’ late on Monday night, many vehicles were passing through the bridge. After the container hit, the bridge broke and fell into the river. During this, the ship caught fire and black smoke started coming out of it. Someone made a video of this incident and posted it on social media.
Indian Embassy created a hotline
Officials said that the Singapore-flagged ship ‘Dali’ had an ‘electrical’ problem and a message about it being in trouble was sent moments before it hit the bridge. “Our heartfelt condolences to all those affected by the unfortunate accident involving the ‘Francis Scott Key Bridge’ in Baltimore,” the Indian Embassy in the US said in a post on the social media platform ‘X’. The Indian Embassy said it has set up a dedicated hotline for Indian nationals who may have been affected by the incident or require assistance. The embassy is ascertaining details regarding the crew of the ship.
The crew had given the information
Maryland Governor Wes Moore also told reporters that the crew of the cargo ship had alerted the authorities about an “electrical problem” before the ship hit the bridge, which led to traffic being restricted on the bridge. Moore said, “These people are heroes. They saved people’s lives last night.”
The crew members were Indians
The ‘Synergy Marine Group’, which manages the ship, said in a statement that there were 22 crew members on the ‘Daly’ ship and all were Indians. The statement said that all the crew members, including two pilots, are safe and no one has been injured. The statement also said that no pollution has been spread due to the incident. The group said in the statement that the ship collided with a pillar of Baltimore’s ‘Francis Scott Key Bridge’ at around 1:30 pm local time on Monday. When the ship hit the bridge, the construction team workers were filling the pits on it. Rescue workers have pulled two people from the river and six workers are still missing. The missing workers include citizens of Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. After a full day of search and rescue operations, US Coast Guard Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath said the force is suspending the operation as the remaining workers are unlikely to be found alive. The Coast Guard suspended its search and rescue operation at 7:30 p.m. local time Tuesday.
What did Joe Biden say
US President Joe Biden said at the White House, “The personnel on board the ship alerted the Maryland Department of Transportation that they had lost control of their vessel. As a result, local officials were able to close the bridge to traffic before it collapsed, which undoubtedly saved lives.” Biden said he was sending the necessary resources in view of the emergency. He said, “We will rebuild that port together.” He said it was a terrible accident. The President said, “At this time, we have no indication to believe that this was a deliberate act.” Biden said the Baltimore port is one of the country’s largest shipping centers. The bridge opened in 1977 and is built on the Patapsco River, an important waterway. US Attorney Erek Barron for the District of Maryland said there was no evidence to indicate that the bridge collapse had any connection to terrorism. Language
