American officials dispatch details on the doomed cargo ship.
The tragic bridge collapse in Baltimore left a container ship unable to steer after it rammed into a support pillar. The United States Department of Transportation has now disclosed information revealing issues with the ship hours before the incident.
Seven weeks post-collapse of a significant highway bridge in Baltimore, the Department of Transportation shares insights into the accident's root cause. Their preliminary report highlights multiple power failures aboard the container ship "Dali." Prior to the ship's collision with a support pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, a power failure had taken place. However, this was not the only incident - two power failures had rather occurred during maintenance hours when the ship was docked at the East Coast city's port. One was caused accidentally by a crew member, while the other occurred shortly thereafter.
On March 26, a four-lane highway bridge at the port of Baltimore's entry collapsed, following a crash with an outbound container ship. Post-accident, reports emerged of a power failure. The unfortunate outcome claimed the lives of six construction workers of Latin descent engaged in bridge repairs at the time.
Investigations ongoing
The crew's emergency call made before their clash with the bridge pillar may have saved many lives, prompting coordinating authorities on land to halt traffic and avoid further vehicular access to the bridge.
This interim report by the Department of Transportation is not the final word on the matter. Investigations into all facets of the accident continue, as outlined in the preliminary report, to determine its most likely cause. Experts plan to interview bridge specialists, employees of waterway authorities, shipping safety officials, highway authorities, and the ship operators. On Monday, experts performed a carefully executed explosion of the remaining debris.
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In light of the preliminary report, international shipping safety organizations are now scrutinizing the safety protocols of container ships following the series of misfortunes, including the shipwreck of the "Dali." The USA has expressed its concern and is urging stricter inspections of vessels to prevent such incidents in the future.
Given the recent chain of events, the International Maritime Organization is set to convene an emergency meeting to discuss potential measures to strengthen safety standards for container ships, particularly in the aftermath of the shipwreck and the subsequent misfortune in Baltimore.
Source: www.ntv.de
