Baltimore Bridge Disaster: Indian Crew's Heroism Tainted By Racist Cartoon, Sparks Outrage

Please Note - There were 2 local US Pilots on the ship responsible for operating the ship. The 22 other crew members were of Indian origin and the ship is Singaporean-owned.

Despite receiving praise from Baltimore and US authorities for their prompt action in issuing an early Mayday call that prevented further loss of life following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Indian crew members operating Dali were outraged by a 'racist' cartoon depicting them.

Photo Credit: X

Indian Crew's Heroism Tainted By Racist Cartoon

The Dali, a container ship flying the flag of Singapore, experienced a power loss and collided with the pier of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday, resulting in the bridge's collapse within seconds and tragically claiming the lives of six individuals.

US President Joe Biden, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, and various officials commended the ship's crew, predominantly composed of individuals of Indian descent, for their swift emergency response despite the vessel's power failure. Their actions facilitated the prompt shutdown of traffic on the bridge, potentially saving numerous lives, as reported by News 18.

However, widespread outrage erupted over a cartoon released by US-based webcomic Foxford Comics. The cartoon depicted dishevelled men clad only in loincloths, appearing distressed as they attempted to steer a ship, accompanied by a caption reading 'Last known recording from inside the Dali moments before impact.' The image was overlaid with an audio recording featuring individuals speaking with thick Indian accents, possibly extracted from a viral video depicting a road rage incident involving individuals of Indian origin.

The authenticity of the image was questioned, with a scan conducted on AI content detection website isitAI.com suggesting that the image may have been AI-generated. The cartoon sparked criticism from online users, prompting X to issue a Community Notes warning alongside the image. The warning emphasized that local US pilots were responsible for operating the ship, while the majority of the crew, comprising 22 individuals, were of Indian origin, and the ship itself was Singaporean-owned, as per media reports.

In response to the controversy, social media users highlighted the immediate action taken by the Indian crew to save lives and mitigate the disaster's impact, a fact acknowledged by President Biden. However, they lamented that such incidents exemplify the normalization of racism against individuals of Indian descent.

Meanwhile, the aftermath of the catastrophic bridge collapse prompted the arrival of cranes at the scene on Thursday, signalling the transition to the clean-up phase of the recovery operation. Authorities warned of the extensive work required before the Port of Baltimore, a major US port, can reopen. The machinery will be utilized in a complex operation to remove the twisted steel remnants of the Francis Scott Key Bridge from the Patapsco River, where it had fallen, obstructing the port's entrance following the collision with a massive cargo ship, reported News 18.