Baltimore Bridge Live Updates: All six missing construction workers presumed dead, search op suspended

Following the Baltimore tragedy, Andrew Tate claimed the ship was “cyber-attacked.”

Taking to X, he wrote that the foreign agents of the USA attack digital infrastructures. Stressing that nothing is safe, he went on to say that “Black Swan event imminent.” However, the White House has clarified that there was no indication of “nefarious intent” or terrorism.

The container ship Dali, which was involved into the incident, was being piloted by local pilots who are specially trained to avoid mishaps.

Speaking at press conference, Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said: "Pilots move ships in and out of the Port of Baltimore."

One of the rescued person has been shifted to the University of Maryland Medical Center after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge over the Patapsco River in Baltimore.

“The R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center received one patient from this incident – they are still in the process of being triaged / evaluated,” the University of Maryland medical system informed CNN.

Here's everything you need to know about the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed after being hit by a container vessel.

According to the authorities, one of the two victims recovered so far is in critical condition in the hospital.

As per the latest update, "at least seven people" were in the water, and sonar detected several vehicles inside the waters.

A massive search and rescue operation is underway to locate the missing people.

According to shipping giant Maersk, the Dali, which was in route from Baltimore to Colombo in Sri Lanka, was operated by charter vessel company Synergy Group and carried goods for Maersk customers.

The authority said there were 22 crew members on the Dali at the time of the incident.

The reason of the occurrence, termed as a "unthinkable tragedy" by Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, has yet to be confirmed.

The White House said it is closely monitoring the situation and Biden has been update about the situation.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a no-fly order above the Key Bridge area as rescue workers continue search operation for survivors from the air.

According to MarineTraffic, which tracks ships throughout the world, around 40 ships, including 34 cargo vessels, are now scheduled to visit Baltimore. Georgios Hatzimanolis, who monitors worldwide shipping for MarineTraffic, predicted some shipping delays. “We do expect there to be a ripple effect, but it’s a bit too early to say what the impact will be.”

The Federal Aviation Administration is preventing planes from flying above the ruins of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

"Drone pilots: The FAA has flight restrictions in place around the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse," the FAA announced on X. “Do not interfere with rescue operations. If you fly, emergency response operations cannot.”

A civil engineering consultant has estimated that reconstructing the Key Bridge might cost up to $600 million (£474 million).

Speaking to SKY NEWS, David Mackenzie, chairman of engineering and architecture consultant COWIfonden, said the bridge was built in the 1970s for around $60 million.

"It's going to be over ten times that to rebuild it at least," he added.

As the rescue operation continues, two persons have been rescued and one of them remains in a critical condition. Sonar spotted several vehicles in the sea, and the White House and other officials have ruled out any indication of intentional act.

The White House on Tuesday informed that President Joe Biden has been updated about the situation and the ongoing rescue operation.

"He will continue to receive updates from his team throughout the day," a spokesperson said, adding there is no indication of “nefarious intent”.

On Monday, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott gave his annual state of the city address and stressed on cleaning up the harbor. Hours after his speech, the bridge collapsed.

“Join me in this fight for the future and soul of our city, and show the world how beautiful Baltimore can be,” said Scott.

In past, Dali cargo ship that collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore was also involved in a accident in 2016. It collided with a dock in Belgium's Port of Antwerp, but tit had less severe damage. The ship sustained damage, but there were no reports of injuries.

Build in 2015, the ship is registered under the flag of Singapore.

Gross Tonnage: 95,128

Summer Deadweight (t): 116,851

Length Overall (m): 300

Beam (m): 48

The container ship Dali “lost propulsion” while it was leaving the port, according to a report from unclassified Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, said ABC News.

It also warned Maryland officials about the possible bridge collision.

“The vessel notified MD Department of Transportation (MDOT) that they had lost control of the vessel and an allision with the bridge was possible,” the report said.

Chief James Wallace of the Baltimore Fire Department informed that crew members were still aboard the Dali. "There has been communication between the ship crew and the Coast Guard," the captain added.

Speaking to Sky News, Julian Carter, a civil and structural engineer, described why the entire bridge collapsed.

He said while some huge bridges have their primary structure disconnected from the remainder of the bridge, the Francis Scott Key Bridge was interconnected. He said it means that "when you take one part out of it, the interconnected system fails."

Baltimore port traffic has been suspended until further notice, reported Reuters, citing Maryland transportation authorities.

The authorities have closed all access roads to the Hawkins Point community on the bridge's south side. An officer stated that contractors were being let through to begin assessing damage.

According to Maryland's transportation secretary, an unknown number of workers were were doing repair works on the bridge's concrete deck when it collapsed.

At least ten commercial ships bound for the Baltimore port have anchored in neighbouring waters, Reuters reported, using ship tracking data.

The container ship Dali, which triggered the collapse of a major Baltimore bridge, sails under the Singapore flag and is managed by Synergy Marine Group, a Singapore-based firm.

Synergy Marine Group promotes itself as a "leading shipmanager" on its website, with "660+ vessels under technical management".

The Dali is operated by Synergy Marine Group and owned by Grace Ocean Pte Ltd, both of which are domiciled in Singapore.

The managers of the Singapore-flagged Dali stated that the cause of the container ship's collision with the bridge is "yet to be determined".

"Whilst the exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined, the 'DALI' has now mobilised its Qualified Individual Incident response service," the firm stated in a statement.

According to Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority (MPA), the Singapore-flagged Dali crashed with 22 crew members on board.

As the ship's flag state, it said in a statement that it is in communication with the US about the event and will "provide full cooperation to the US Coast Guard in its investigations".

The MPA will also investigate the incident.

Baltimore County Police Department has appealed to the drivers to find alternate routes of travel around the Key Bridge area.

The police have warned drivers to expect delays and “remain patient” and also urged people to work remotely.

Baltimore's fire department James Wallace said that a was sonar used to detect the "presence of vehicles" in the water.

While the rescue operation is being guided by "dive teams", an incoming tide is posing a "challenging" situation, he said.

He stated that the rescue crews are "battling darkness" and that experts will advise when the "non-survivability point" is reached.

Expressing concerns over the “horrific incident”, the White House said it is "closely monitoring" the situation and its "hearts go out" to the families of those whose loved ones are missing in the waters.

“The US Coast Guard is conducting search and rescue for those who remain unaccounted for as a result of the bridge collapse,” the WH said in a statement, clarifying that there is “no indication of any nefarious intent”.

Moreover, senior White House officers are in contact with the governor and mayor to offer any federal assistance they require.