Tuesday at about 1,30 AM, a Singapore-flagged vessel collided with Francis Scott Key Bridge, in the Baltimore city of Maryland. The bridge collapsed and the state of emergency was declared. The ship collided with one of its support columns. Rescuers are searching the water for survivors. (source: theguardian.com, Gen Stiri)
Baltimore’s 1.6-mile (2.57km) Francis Scott Key Bridge was built out of steel and opened in 1977. With four lanes, the bridge served as a major route along the ring road that encircles the city in the US state of Maryland. (source: theguardian.com)
A live video on YouTube shows the ship plowing into the bridge in darkness, with its main section collapsing into the Patapsco River below. (source: theguardian.com)
Several vehicles fell into the water, and rescuers were searching for at least seven people.
The Dali, a 290-metre (948ft) cargo vessel, left Baltimore at 1am and was headed for the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, according to the maritime data platform MarineTraffic. The shipping company Maersk said it chartered the vessel. (source: edition.cnn.com)
There is expectation for about 20 victims to be in the river, while rescuers are still trying to save them. The National Weather Service says the water's temperatures are too cold for people to survive. (source: edition.cnn.com)
Baltimore officials said at least seven vehicles plunged into the water but could not give an exact figure. Kevin Cartwright, the spokesperson for Baltimore City Fire Department, earlier told Reuters that as many as 20 people could be in the river along with "numerous vehicles, and possibly a tractor-trailer." (source: reuters.com )