Indian Embassy in US Shares Condolences After Baltimore Bridge Collision

The Indian Embassy in Washington expressed condolences after a cargo ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday, causing the bridge to collapse and leaving six people missing. The ship's all-Indian crew of 22 issued a mayday call moments before the crash, allowing authorities to limit vehicle traffic on the span, according to Maryland's governor.

Ship management company Synergy Marine Group reported that the Singapore-flagged container ship "Dali" collided with one of the bridge's pillars while under pilotage with two pilots onboard at approximately 01:30 local time on March 26. The Indian Embassy has created a dedicated hotline for any Indian citizens that may be affected or require assistance.

The Dali, owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd, was outbound from Baltimore to Colombo when it struck the 1.6-mile-long, four-lane bridge. The vessel has a capacity of 10,000 TEU and onboard units totalling 4,679 TEU. Its tons deadweight is 116,851 DWT.

US President Joe Biden said that the crew's alert about losing control of the vessel enabled authorities to close the Baltimore bridge to traffic before the devastating collision, "undoubtedly" saving lives. He added that the investigation so far indicates it was a terrible accident and there is no reason to believe it was an intentional act.

Biden noted that the port of Baltimore is one of the nation's largest shipping hubs and handled a record amount of cargo last year. It is also the top port in America for imports and exports of automobiles and light trucks, with around 850,000 vehicles going through it every year. He pledged to send all necessary federal resources to respond to this emergency and rebuild the port.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore said that the crew alerted authorities about a "power issue" before the collision. This Mayday call enabled workers to stop more vehicular traffic from coming onto the bridge. Moore added that the preliminary investigation points to an accident and there is no credible evidence of a terrorist attack.

Maersk confirmed that the container vessel Dali, operated by charter vessel company Synergy Group, is time chartered by Maersk and is carrying Maersk customers' cargo. No Maersk crew and personnel were onboard the vessel. The company is closely following investigations conducted by authorities and Synergy and will keep its customers informed.