At least six people remain missing after a large cargo ship crashed into a pillar of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday morning, causing it to collapse.
A total of eight workers who were fixing potholes on the bridge fell into the Patapsco River below. Two people have since been rescued, officials said.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore declared a state of emergency and said the crash appears to be an accident, noting there was “no credible evidence of a terrorist attack.”
President Biden said he will travel to Baltimore “as quickly as I can.” He said the federal government should pay to rebuild the bridge, and added that the Port of Baltimore — which halted vessel traffic amid the collapse — supports 15,000 jobs.
The 1.6-mile bridge, named after the poet who wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner,” spans a major thoroughfare of East Coast shipping. It’s also the entryway to the port, which is the largest port in the U.S. for specialized cargo like trucks, tractors and trailers. Agency reports
A view of the Dali cargo vessel which crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge causing it to collapse in Baltimore, Maryland, March 26. REUTERS/Julia Nikhinson