Coast Guard: 6 workers presumed dead after Baltimore bridge collapse

Officials suspend vessel traffic in Port of Baltimore after bridge collapse

Officials suspend vessel traffic in Port of Baltimore after bridge collapse

GUARD. LET’S LISTEN IN. AND AFTER THAT, WE’LL BE ABLE TO TAKE A FEW QUESTIONS. BUT WE DO NEED TO KEEP IT BRIEF BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET THESE FOLKS BACK TO WORK. UH, WITH THAT, I’D LIKE TO INTRODUCE REAR ADMIRAL SHANNON GUILLORY. HEY, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. FIRST, I’D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE FIRST RESPONDERS THAT HAVE COME OUT TODAY TO ASSIST IN LOOKING FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS. WE’VE HAD TREMENDOUS SUPPORT ACROSS THE STATE AND COUNTY AND CITY AND FEDERAL ENTERPRISE. YOU’VE SEEN FOR YOURSELF SELF CHOPPERS FLYING OVER THE SMALL BOATS THAT ARE OUT THERE, THE COAST GUARD CUTTER THAT’S OUT THERE, THE BOATS THAT GO BACK AND FORTH BRINGING PEOPLE OUT ON SCENE TO SEARCH FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS. SO THANK YOU TO THOSE THIS ENTIRE COMMUNITY FOR HELPING IN THAT REGARD. SECOND, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY FOR THE OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT TO THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS AND IN PARTICULARLY THE OUTPOUR OF SUPPORT AND PRAYERS AND SUPPORT FOR THE FAMILIES OF THE SIX INDIVIDUALS. SO I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE TONIGHT THAT BASED ON THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT WE’VE GONE IN THIS SEARCH, THE EXTENSIVE SEARCH EFFORTS THAT WE’VE PUT INTO IT, THE WATER TEMPERATURE THAT AT THIS POINT WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE’RE GOING TO FIND ANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS STILL ALIVE AND SO THIS EVENING AT ABOUT 730, WE ARE GOING TO SUSPEND THE ACTIVE SEARCH AND RESCUE EFFORTS. COAST GUARD IS NOT GOING AWAY. NONE OF OUR PARTNERS ARE GOING AWAY, BUT WE’RE JUST GOING TO TRANSITION TO A DIFFERENT PHASE. IT’S OVER TO COLONEL BUTLER. PLEASE. GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. TO ECHO THE ADMIRAL’S COMMENTS, HERE WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY TO ALL THE FIRST RESPONDERS HERE. WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AND ALLOWING US TO DO THE BEST JOB POSSIBLE AND GET THE INFORMATION AS IT COMES UP. AT THIS POINT, AS THE ADMIRAL SAID, WE’RE GOING AWAY FROM THE SEARCH AND RESCUE PORTION TO A RECOVERY OPERATION. THE CHANGING CONDITIONS OUT THERE HAVE MADE IT DANGEROUS FOR THE FIRST RESPONDERS. THE DIVERS IN THE WATER. WE WILL STILL HAVE SURFACE SHIPS OUT OVERNIGHT AT ZERO 600 HOURS TOMORROW. WE’RE HOPING TO PUT DIVERS. IN THE WATER AND BEGIN A MORE DETAILED SEARCH TO DO OUR VERY BEST TO RECOVER THOSE SIX MISSING PEOPLE. THANK YOU. WITH THAT, WE HAVE TIME FOR JUST A FEW QUESTIONS. WE KNOW THERE’S A LOT OF QUESTIONS. THEY STILL HAVE TO BE ANSWERED. AND WE DO HAVE TIME FOR JUST A FEW. SO A FEW PLEASE. DO WE THINK IT’S IT’S STILL JUST SIX. THERE’S TALK OF MAYBE OTHER CARS ON THE BRIDGE. ALL THE INFORMATION WE HAVE IS, IS SIX INDIVIDUALS. YES, SIR. CAN YOU GO INTO DETAIL ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT THIS MIGHT BE FOR THE RECOVERY PHASE OF THIS? NOW, LIKE WHAT KIND OF CHALLENGES ARE YOU UP AGAINST? WELL, I’LL START BY SAYING. I’M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE EXPERTS ON DIVING. I’M NOT AN EXPERT ON DIVING, BUT WE’VE GOT VERY DIFFICULT WATER TEMPERATURES. YOU HAVE STRUCTURES FROM THE BRIDGE THAT ARE IN THE WATER THAT CAN MOVE WITH THE TIDES AND CURRENTS, MAKING THAT DANGEROUS FOR DIVERS AND PEOPLE IN THE WATER TO ACTUALLY TRY TO DO RECOVERY. AND WE DO NOT WANT TO INJURE ANY OF THESE FIRST RESPONDERS IN THIS RECOVERY EFFORT. WE ABSOLUTELY WANT TO BE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS. AND I’LL LET. SEE. COLONEL BELL HAS ANYTHING HE WANTS TO ADD. CAN YOU GO INTO SPECIFICS ABOUT WHAT THE SEARCH AND RESCUE ENTAILED, LIKE WHERE THEY’RE SCUBA DIVERS, EVERYTHING ABOVE WATER AND SONAR, ANY SORT OF EQUIPMENT THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN UTILIZED OVER THE PAST 12 HOURS FROM THE OUTSET, WE MOVED ALL THOSE RESOURCES IN WITH DIVE TEAMS FROM VARIOUS STATE, LOCAL AND UH, COUNTY AGENCIES. WE ALSO USE SONAR. WE’RE DOING OUR VERY BEST AND SOME VERY DIFFICULT TIMES AND DIFFICULT CONDITIONS, WHICH IS WHY WE’RE MAKING THAT TRANSITION NOW. THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO IS PUT DIVERS IN THE WATER WITH CHANGING CURRENTS, LOW TEMPERATURES, VERY POOR VISIBILITY, VISIBILITY AND SO MUCH MORE METAL AND OTHER UNKNOWN OBJECTS IN THE WATER. ALL IT TAKES IS ONE OBJECT TO STRIKE AN INDIVIDUAL, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAVE A FIRST RESPONDER TRYING TO RECOVER ANOTHER FIRST RESPONDER. I THINK IT’S ZERO 600. WE’LL FIND OURSELVES IN A BETTER POSITION TO UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF WHAT WE’RE DEALING WITH AND TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE IN A MUCH SAFER MANNER. AUTHORITIES HAVE SIX IDS NOW, AND HAVE THOSE VICTIMS EACH IMPACTED THOSE FAMILIES. I SHOULD SAY I CAN’T SPEAK ON THAT. THAT’S STILL IN THE INVESTIGATIVE PORTION OF THIS. CAN YOU SPEAK TO SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES IN ACTUALLY RETRIEVING THE REMAINS? HAVE ANY REMAINS BEEN RETRIEVED? SO FAR? WE’VE ALSO HEARD REPORTS THAT THERE MIGHT BE INDIVIDUALS TRAPPED INSIDE A VEHICLES, THAT THERE MIGHT BE DEBRIS THAT HAS MADE IT MORE CHALLENGING FOR FBI AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT TO DEPLOY. ALL OF THAT IS UNKNOWN AT THIS POINT. AND AS I SAID, WE HAVE TO CEASE OPERATIONS. WE CAN’T START AGAIN UNTIL WE CAN ASSURE THE SAFETY OF THOSE DIVERS AND THE RESCUE PERSONNEL THAT ARE GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS. IF WE LOOK AT HOW HOW CHALLENGING IT IS AT A SIMPLE MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH TO EXTRACT AN INDIVIDUAL, I’M SURE WE CAN ALL IMAGINE HOW MUCH HARDER IT IS TO DO IT IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, WHEN IT’S COLD UNDER THE WATER. WITH VERY LIMITED TO NO VISIBILITY. JUST TO CLARIFY, NO REMAINS HAVE BEEN REMOVED THUS FAR BY SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM. OTHER THAN THE TWO WHO WERE RESCUED ALIVE. THAT IS CORRECT. SO, COLONEL, YOU’RE CONFIDENT THEN THAT NO OTHER VEHICLES MADE IT ON TO THAT BRIDGE BEFORE THE COLLAPSE OR AS IT WAS COLLAPSING, I SHOULD SAY, BASED UPON THE FACT THE ORIGINAL INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED, THE MARYLAND TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, POLICE DEPARTMENT. WAS ABLE TO SHUT DOWN TRAFFIC IS THERE THE POSSIBILITY THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THERE OTHER THAN THOSE VEHICLES? WAS INVOLVED IN THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS? I THINK WE ALL WOULD HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, YES, THAT’S A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY. AS UNFORTUNATE AS IT MAY BE, IT’S A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY. HOWEVER, WE DON’T HAVE ANY INFORMATION TO SUPPORT THAT AT THIS POINT. MA’AM, BRING THE DIVERS OUT. DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHERE THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE? IF THEY WERE IN CARS OR NOT? AND DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG THE RECOVERY EFFORT IS GOING TO TAKE? WE DO NOT KNOW AT THIS POINT. I’M SURE AS YOU’VE SEEN, SOME OF THE AERIAL PHOTOS THERE IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DEBRIS IN THE WATER FROM CONTAINERS HANGING OFF SHIPS. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THOSE ARE SHORED UP. WE’RE GOING TO WORK WITH STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS TO HELP UNDERSTAND HOW TO NAVIGATE AND ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES OF HAVING BRIDGE STRUCTURE IN THE WATER. THAT MAY BE SHARP, THAT COULD PUNCTURE A SUIT, THAT COULD PUNCTURE AN AIRLINE. ALL OF THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE MUST TAKE OUR TIME WITH. I’M I WEAR THE VICTIMS ARE LOCATED. THE LAST QUESTION, BY THE WAY. I’M SORRY. THE VICTIMS ARE LOCATED IN THE WATER. HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO FIND THEM YET? OR IF THEY’RE IN CARS OR NOT? AT THIS POINT, WE DO NOT KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, BUT WE INTEND TO GIVE IT OUR BEST EFFORT TO HELP THESE FAMILIES FIND CLOSURE. HOW MIGHT INCLEMENT WEATHER TOMORROW IMPACT THE RECOVERY EFFORTS? VERY CLEARLY, IT COULD. BUT WE’RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO HELP THESE FAMILIES FIND CLOSURE. HAS THE BOAT BEEN STABLE? HAS BOTH BEEN THROUGH TIDAL SPELLING. YOU FOLKS, WE’RE GOING TO BE WE’RE GOING TO BE ESTABLISHING UNIFIED COMMAND AS WELL AS A JOINT INFORMATION CENTER. AND I KNOW THERE’S A LOT OF QUESTIONS. UM, AND WE’RE GOING TO BE PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION WHERE WE WILL. CONTINUE TO PROVIDE UPDATES. BUT

Coast Guard: 6 workers presumed dead after Baltimore bridge collapse

Officials suspend vessel traffic in Port of Baltimore after bridge collapse

Six construction workers are presumed dead following the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday. Coast Guard officials said around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, nearly 18 hours after the bridge collapsed, that the six people are still unaccounted for. Those people are presumed dead, authorities say, and a search and rescue mission is now a recovery mission.THE LATEST RIGHT NOW:• Officials confirmed six people who are missing after the collapse are presumed dead• Two people were initially rescued — one declined treatment and another was taken to, and subsequently discharged from, Shock Trauma• Preliminary investigation shows this was not intentional• Gov. Wes Moore said the crew on the ship notified authorities that they had lost power.• Moore said between a Mayday call and the collapse, officials stopped the flow of traffic so that more cars were not on the bridge, potentially saving lives• Baltimore Beltway\I-695 closed from Glen Burnie to Dundalk (traffic map here)Maryland Gov. Wes Moore declared a state of emergency after a cargo ship, the cargo ship "Dali," crashed into a support structure of the 1.6-mile bridge that carried the Baltimore Beltway\Interstate 695 over the Patapsco River. Its collapse was reported around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.Video posted online shows the entire structure breaking apart in several locations and collapsing. The Associated Press reported the ship caught fire, and thick, black smoke billowed from it. SkyTeam 11 reported the portion of the bridge that collapsed was the steel superstructure and that the concrete bridge appeared to remain intact. Video below: Gov. Moore provides an update early Wednesday morning on recovery efforts6 presumed deadAfter nearly 18 hours of searching, six people are presumed dead. A group of construction workers was on the bridge when it collapsed, officials said. Six of those individuals are unaccounted for.Video below: Somber scene left behind at Key Bridge Tuesday night"Based on the length of time that we've gone in the search, the extensive search efforts we've put into it, the water temperature, we do not believe that we are going to find any of these individuals alive, and so this evening around 7:30, we are going to suspend active search and rescue efforts," said U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath.Gilreath said those recovery efforts will resume Wednesday morning. The crash happened in the middle of the night, long before the busy morning commute on the bridge that was used by 12 million vehicles last year. The six people still unaccounted for were part of a construction crew filling potholes on the bridge, said Paul Wiedefeld, the state’s transportation secretary.To the families of those missing, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said Tuesday afternoon at a news conference: "We are here with you every step of the way. We are praying with you.""This is an excruciating day for several families who woke up today to news that no one wants to receive. They are hoping and praying, and we are hoping and praying with them. We are all putting our arms around the city of Baltimore," U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.Port of Baltimore operationsThe Maryland Port Administration suspended vessel traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore until further notice. The port is not shut down and they are still processing trucks inside of the terminals.Starting Wednesday, the New Vail Street gate will close until further notice. All truck traffic must enter through the Seagirt main gate at 2600 Broening Highway.The Seagirt main gate will not be extended to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday as previously scheduled. It will close at the normal time of 4:30 p.m.The Seagirt Marine Terminal will be closed on Good Friday.Authorities: No credible information to suggest terrorismBaltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said there is no intelligence or any indication that the incident was intentional.The FBI released the following statement, saying: "There is no specific and credible information to suggest any ties to terrorism at this time. The investigation is ongoing. FBI Baltimore will continue to support our partners at the local, state and federal levels."Video below captures collapse of Key BridgeThe ship underwent 27 inspections since the Dali came into service in 2016. There were no issues until June when Chilean authorities found deficiencies in propulsion and the auxiliary machinery.DHS said the Dali lost propulsion as it left Baltimore Harbor, which makes the June inspection particularly interesting. SkyTeam 11 video below shows bridge collapse & point of impact State of emergencyThe governor's office released a statement, saying: "My office is in close communication with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski and the Baltimore Fire Department as emergency personnel are on the scene following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.Video below: "Still actively looking for survivors" - Officials update on Key Bridge"I have declared a state of emergency here in Maryland and we are working with an interagency team to quickly deploy federal resources from the Biden administration."We are thankful for the brave men and women who are carrying out efforts to rescue those involved and pray for everyone's safety."We will remain in close contact with federal, state, and local entities that are carrying out rescue efforts as we continue to assess and respond to this tragedy."Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in Baltimore City in response to the collapse starting at 9 a.m. and will remain in place for 30 days, which enables the mobilization of emergency services and resources.Video below: Lester Holt — 'Sometimes you see life change on a dime'"This is an unthinkable tragedy," Scott said at a news conference early Tuesday morning. "This is a tragedy you can never imagine. Never did you think you would see the Key Bridge tumble down like that. It looked like something out of a movie ... Our focus should be the preservation of life.""We all awoke this morning to an unspeakable tragedy," Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski said at a news conference early Tuesday morning. "We have a long road ahead not just in the search and rescue but in the fallout after this." Alternate routes for harbor crossingsI-695 is closed between Maryland Route 157 (Peninsula Expressway) in Dundalk and Maryland Route 10 (Arundel Expressway) in Glen Burnie.Interstate 95\Fort McHenry Tunnel (Maximum height: 14 feet, 6 inches; maximum width: 11 feet)Interstate 895\Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (Maximum height: 13 feet, 6 inches; maximum width: 8 feet)Vehicles transporting hazardous materials (including propane of more than 10 pounds) are prohibited in tunnels and should use the western section of I-695 around tunnels.See official truck routes through Baltimore City here.President: Federal government will pay to rebuild bridgePresident Joe Biden spoke on the bridge collapse Tuesday afternoon, saying the federal government will send all the resources needed by the city and state.Video: President speaks about bridge collapse"We're with you, we're going to stay with you for as long as it takes. Like the governor said, you're Maryland tough, you're Baltimore strong and we're going to get through this together, and I promise we're not leaving," Biden said.The president called on Congress to put into motion the federal government paying for the construction of a replacement bridge."It's my intention that the federal government will pay for the entire cost to reconstruct the bridge," Biden said.Buttigieg said the president's plan is to rebuild the bridge and reopen the port. He said the administration is prepared to approve emergency funding upon request from the state.Video below: NTSB provides update on Key Bridge collapseThe Federal Highway Administration released a statement, saying: "The I-695 corridor is a vital connection for people and goods traveling along the East Coast, and we stand ready to offer technical assistance — including emergency relief funding — to help manage traffic and rebuild the bridge as quickly and safely as possible. "In response to the collapse, the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration have been actively coordinating with federal, state, and local officials in the region, including the Maryland Department of Transportation, the Maryland Transportation Authority, the city of Baltimore, U.S. Coast Guard, NTSB and others."Secretary (Pete) Buttigieg, Federal Highway Administrator (Shailen) Bhatt, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are on site today to offer federal support and assistance." What's next?The collapse is sure to create a logistical nightmare for months, if not years, along the East Coast, shutting down ship traffic at the Port of Baltimore, a major shipping hub. The accident will also snarl cargo and commuter traffic.“Losing this bridge will devastate the entire area, as well as the entire East Coast,” Maryland state Sen. Johnny Ray Salling said.Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, speaking at a news conference near the site Tuesday, said it was too soon to estimate how long it will take to clear the channel, which is about 50 feet deep.“This is no ordinary bridge. This is one of the cathedrals of American infrastructure,” he said at a news conference in Baltimore on Tuesday afternoon. “It has been part of the skyline for this region for longer than many of us have been alive.”Highway signs as far south as Virginia are warning drivers of delays associated with the closure of the bridge.“Aside from the obvious tragedy, this incident will have significant and long-lasting impacts on the region,” American Trucking Associations spokesperson Jessica Gail said, calling Key Bridge and Baltimore’s port “critical components’’ of the nation’s infrastructure.Gail noted that 1.3 million trucks cross the bridge every year — 3,600 a day. Trucks that carry hazardous materials will now have to make 30 miles of detours around Baltimore because they are prohibited from using the city’s tunnels, she said, adding to delays and increasing fuel costs.Where is this bridge?The Key Bridge opened in 1977, completing the Baltimore Beltway's circumference around the city. The bridge is southeast of the city proper and spanned from Sparrows Point to the southernmost tip of Baltimore.According to an Maryland Transportation Authority report issued in November, the Key Bridge carried more than 12.4 million commercial and passenger vehicles in 2023.Federal Highway Administration records show the bridge was last inspected in May 2021, when inspectors rated it in fair condition overall at a rating of six (satisfactory) out of nine on three parameters. These inspections are supposed to occur every 24 months.The Key Bridge was indeed last inspected in May 2023 and "found to be in satisfactory condition with an overall rating of fair," per a press aide for U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. That inspection found the bridge was in fair condition as well. Check traffic mapApp users tap here to check traffic map

DUNDALK, Md. —

Six construction workers are presumed dead following the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday.

Coast Guard officials said around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, nearly 18 hours after the bridge collapsed, that the six people are still unaccounted for. Those people are presumed dead, authorities say, and a search and rescue mission is now a recovery mission.

THE LATEST RIGHT NOW:

• Officials confirmed six people who are missing after the collapse are presumed dead
• Two people were initially rescued — one declined treatment and another was taken to, and subsequently discharged from, Shock Trauma
• Preliminary investigation shows this was not intentional
• Gov. Wes Moore said the crew on the ship notified authorities that they had lost power.
• Moore said between a Mayday call and the collapse, officials stopped the flow of traffic so that more cars were not on the bridge, potentially saving lives
• Baltimore Beltway\I-695 closed from Glen Burnie to Dundalk (traffic map here)

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore declared a state of emergency after a cargo ship, the cargo ship "Dali," crashed into a support structure of the 1.6-mile bridge that carried the Baltimore Beltway\Interstate 695 over the Patapsco River. Its collapse was reported around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Video posted online shows the entire structure breaking apart in several locations and collapsing. The Associated Press reported the ship caught fire, and thick, black smoke billowed from it.

SkyTeam 11 reported the portion of the bridge that collapsed was the steel superstructure and that the concrete bridge appeared to remain intact.

Video below: Gov. Moore provides an update early Wednesday morning on recovery efforts

6 presumed dead

After nearly 18 hours of searching, six people are presumed dead.

A group of construction workers was on the bridge when it collapsed, officials said. Six of those individuals are unaccounted for.

Video below: Somber scene left behind at Key Bridge Tuesday night

"Based on the length of time that we've gone in the search, the extensive search efforts we've put into it, the water temperature, we do not believe that we are going to find any of these individuals alive, and so this evening around 7:30, we are going to suspend active search and rescue efforts," said U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath.

Gilreath said those recovery efforts will resume Wednesday morning.

The crash happened in the middle of the night, long before the busy morning commute on the bridge that was used by 12 million vehicles last year. The six people still unaccounted for were part of a construction crew filling potholes on the bridge, said Paul Wiedefeld, the state’s transportation secretary.

To the families of those missing, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said Tuesday afternoon at a news conference: "We are here with you every step of the way. We are praying with you."

"This is an excruciating day for several families who woke up today to news that no one wants to receive. They are hoping and praying, and we are hoping and praying with them. We are all putting our arms around the city of Baltimore," U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

Port of Baltimore operations

The Maryland Port Administration suspended vessel traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore until further notice. The port is not shut down and they are still processing trucks inside of the terminals.

Starting Wednesday, the New Vail Street gate will close until further notice. All truck traffic must enter through the Seagirt main gate at 2600 Broening Highway.

The Seagirt main gate will not be extended to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday as previously scheduled. It will close at the normal time of 4:30 p.m.

The Seagirt Marine Terminal will be closed on Good Friday.

Authorities: No credible information to suggest terrorism

Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said there is no intelligence or any indication that the incident was intentional.

The FBI released the following statement, saying: "There is no specific and credible information to suggest any ties to terrorism at this time. The investigation is ongoing. FBI Baltimore will continue to support our partners at the local, state and federal levels."

Video below captures collapse of Key Bridge

The ship underwent 27 inspections since the Dali came into service in 2016. There were no issues until June when Chilean authorities found deficiencies in propulsion and the auxiliary machinery.

DHS said the Dali lost propulsion as it left Baltimore Harbor, which makes the June inspection particularly interesting.

SkyTeam 11 video below shows bridge collapse & point of impact

State of emergency

The governor's office released a statement, saying: "My office is in close communication with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski and the Baltimore Fire Department as emergency personnel are on the scene following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Video below: "Still actively looking for survivors" - Officials update on Key Bridge

"I have declared a state of emergency here in Maryland and we are working with an interagency team to quickly deploy federal resources from the Biden administration.

"We are thankful for the brave men and women who are carrying out efforts to rescue those involved and pray for everyone's safety.

"We will remain in close contact with federal, state, and local entities that are carrying out rescue efforts as we continue to assess and respond to this tragedy."

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in Baltimore City in response to the collapse starting at 9 a.m. and will remain in place for 30 days, which enables the mobilization of emergency services and resources.

Video below: Lester Holt — 'Sometimes you see life change on a dime'

"This is an unthinkable tragedy," Scott said at a news conference early Tuesday morning. "This is a tragedy you can never imagine. Never did you think you would see the Key Bridge tumble down like that. It looked like something out of a movie ... Our focus should be the preservation of life."

"We all awoke this morning to an unspeakable tragedy," Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski said at a news conference early Tuesday morning. "We have a long road ahead not just in the search and rescue but in the fallout after this."

Alternate routes for harbor crossings

I-695 is closed between Maryland Route 157 (Peninsula Expressway) in Dundalk and Maryland Route 10 (Arundel Expressway) in Glen Burnie.

Interstate 95\Fort McHenry Tunnel (Maximum height: 14 feet, 6 inches; maximum width: 11 feet)
Interstate 895\Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (Maximum height: 13 feet, 6 inches; maximum width: 8 feet)

Vehicles transporting hazardous materials (including propane of more than 10 pounds) are prohibited in tunnels and should use the western section of I-695 around tunnels.

See official truck routes through Baltimore City here.

President: Federal government will pay to rebuild bridge

President Joe Biden spoke on the bridge collapse Tuesday afternoon, saying the federal government will send all the resources needed by the city and state.

Video: President speaks about bridge collapse

"We're with you, we're going to stay with you for as long as it takes. Like the governor said, you're Maryland tough, you're Baltimore strong and we're going to get through this together, and I promise we're not leaving," Biden said.

The president called on Congress to put into motion the federal government paying for the construction of a replacement bridge.

"It's my intention that the federal government will pay for the entire cost to reconstruct the bridge," Biden said.

Buttigieg said the president's plan is to rebuild the bridge and reopen the port. He said the administration is prepared to approve emergency funding upon request from the state.

Video below: NTSB provides update on Key Bridge collapse

The Federal Highway Administration released a statement, saying: "The I-695 corridor is a vital connection for people and goods traveling along the East Coast, and we stand ready to offer technical assistance — including emergency relief funding — to help manage traffic and rebuild the bridge as quickly and safely as possible.

"In response to the collapse, the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration have been actively coordinating with federal, state, and local officials in the region, including the Maryland Department of Transportation, the Maryland Transportation Authority, the city of Baltimore, U.S. Coast Guard, NTSB and others.

"Secretary (Pete) Buttigieg, Federal Highway Administrator (Shailen) Bhatt, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are on site today to offer federal support and assistance."

What's next?

The collapse is sure to create a logistical nightmare for months, if not years, along the East Coast, shutting down ship traffic at the Port of Baltimore, a major shipping hub. The accident will also snarl cargo and commuter traffic.

“Losing this bridge will devastate the entire area, as well as the entire East Coast,” Maryland state Sen. Johnny Ray Salling said.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, speaking at a news conference near the site Tuesday, said it was too soon to estimate how long it will take to clear the channel, which is about 50 feet deep.

“This is no ordinary bridge. This is one of the cathedrals of American infrastructure,” he said at a news conference in Baltimore on Tuesday afternoon. “It has been part of the skyline for this region for longer than many of us have been alive.”

Highway signs as far south as Virginia are warning drivers of delays associated with the closure of the bridge.

“Aside from the obvious tragedy, this incident will have significant and long-lasting impacts on the region,” American Trucking Associations spokesperson Jessica Gail said, calling Key Bridge and Baltimore’s port “critical components’’ of the nation’s infrastructure.

Gail noted that 1.3 million trucks cross the bridge every year — 3,600 a day. Trucks that carry hazardous materials will now have to make 30 miles of detours around Baltimore because they are prohibited from using the city’s tunnels, she said, adding to delays and increasing fuel costs.

Where is this bridge?

The Key Bridge opened in 1977, completing the Baltimore Beltway's circumference around the city. The bridge is southeast of the city proper and spanned from Sparrows Point to the southernmost tip of Baltimore.

According to an Maryland Transportation Authority report issued in November, the Key Bridge carried more than 12.4 million commercial and passenger vehicles in 2023.

Federal Highway Administration records show the bridge was last inspected in May 2021, when inspectors rated it in fair condition overall at a rating of six (satisfactory) out of nine on three parameters. These inspections are supposed to occur every 24 months.

The Key Bridge was indeed last inspected in May 2023 and "found to be in satisfactory condition with an overall rating of fair," per a press aide for U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. That inspection found the bridge was in fair condition as well.

Check traffic map

App users tap here to check traffic map

Coast Guard: 6 workers presumed dead after Baltimore bridge collapse

Officials suspend vessel traffic in Port of Baltimore after bridge collapse

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6 presumed dead

Port of Baltimore operations

Authorities: No credible information to suggest terrorism

State of emergency

Alternate routes for harbor crossings

President: Federal government will pay to rebuild bridge

What's next?

Where is this bridge?

Check traffic map

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