The preliminary report from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reveals that the cargo ship Dali, which struck and destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland in March, had encountered a loss of electrical power and propulsion before the incident. The report provides a detailed timeline leading up to the moment when the Dali collided with pier no. 17 of the Key Bridge, causing the bridge to collapse and initiating search and rescue efforts for the road maintenance crew members.
The Singapore-flagged steel-hulled general cargo vessel was about 0.6 miles (0.96 km) away from the Key Bridge when an unexpected electrical issue resulted in a blackout, disabling essential equipment and lighting on board. Despite efforts to restore power, a second blackout occurred when the ship was approximately 0.2 miles (0.32 km) from the bridge, leading to the collision at 6.5 knots.
The report also mentions a prior blackout incident during maintenance in Baltimore, where a crew member mistakenly closed an inline engine exhaust damper. Of the 4,680 containers on the vessel, 56 contained dangerous goods. The US Coast Guard has classified the incident as a major marine casualty, which tragically resulted in the loss of six road maintenance workers on the bridge.
The investigation into the accident is ongoing as authorities work to determine the probable cause and evaluate the ship's power distribution system. Additionally, examination of the vessel's damage will continue once it is cleared of debris and relocated to a shoreside facility. A controlled demolition was carried out on Monday to remove a large steel section of the collapsed bridge in an effort to free the cargo ship from the wreckage.
