• Baltimore Bridge Collapse: United States President Joe Biden has commended the alertness of the 22 Indian-origin personnel aboard ‘Dali’, the ship which collided with a Baltimore bridge, for preventing more casualties with their mayday call.

A container ship, Dali collided with a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore (Maryland) around 1:30 am local time on March 26. The bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River as a result of the incident, which caused extensive damage.

However, all traffic on board the bridge was stopped in time as the 22 crew onboard the vessel sent out a ‘mayday’ call informing local authorities that they had lost power on the vessel.

Crew Acclaimed for Their Heroic Deeds
Authorities responded quickly to the container ship’s “mayday” call before to the collision, which resulted in the evacuation of people from the bridge. This quick action is credited with potentially saving lives.

Six workers from a nighttime construction crew on the bridge, however, are missing and thought to be dead. There is still search going on to find their bodies.

“Ship staff were able to notify the Maryland Department of Transportation that they were no longer in control of the ship. Consequently, local authorities were able to shut down traffic on the bridge prior to it being struck, which definitely prevented fatalities,” Biden stated at the White House.

Governor Wes Moore of Maryland added that lives had been spared by the crew’s prompt alert.

“We can attest that the staff reported a power outage to the authorities. These folks truly are heroes. We are grateful that there were authorities on hand who could initiate the process of halting the traffic between the Mayday and the collapse. These folks truly are heroes. Moore told AFP, “They saved lives last night.”

How About the People Who Were Killed?
All 22 crew members, including the two pilots, are believed to be safe, according to the Synergy Marine Group.

Two of the eight workers from a construction crew that was patching potholes on the bridge made it out alive. Unfortunately, six individuals are currently unaccounted for. Efforts to locate them are set to recommence on Wednesday morning, AP reported.

According to reports from diplomatic sources, people from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico are among the missing. Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandova, a citizen of Honduras, is one of the people who has been identified, according to AP.

What Was the Event’s Cause?
Moore stated that the container ship had lost power prior to the accident, even if the precise cause of the crash is still unknown.

Both federal and state authorities have suggested that the incident is likely an accident. Ship travel into and out of the Port of Baltimore has been suspended indefinitely while the National Transportation Safety Board conducts an investigation.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge is a vital transportation route carrying 31,000 autos per day or 11.3 million vehicles annually. The route has been suspended, affecting shipping operations both domestically and internationally.
Although it handles less traffic than larger ports like New York and New Jersey, Baltimore’s port is nevertheless very important. US Vice President Biden has demanded federal funding to repair the fallen bridge and hasten the port’s reopening.

The Synergy Marine Group provided information about the ship “Dali,” stating that 4,679 TEU were on board and that the ship had a 10,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) capacity. It stated that Grace Ocean Private was the ship’s owner and that there were a total of 22 Indians on the crew. The warship was “outbound from Baltimore to Colombo” in Sri Lanka.https://watchnewz.com/global-news/baltimore-bridge-collapse-us-president-joe-biden-praises-indian-origin-crew-for-timely-mayday-call-were-thankful/