Summary

  • The bodies of two people have been recovered from a red pickup truck which was submerged under the waters where the Baltimore bridge collapsed

  • An operation to recover the bodies of four more people presumed dead continues, after a container ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the US city

  • Two victims of the collision have been named as construction workers who were filling potholes on the bridge when it was struck

  • Investigators have boarded the Singapore-flagged Dali and recovered its data recorder - similar to a black box, officials say

  • The US Coast Guard says more than 1.5 million gallons of fuel oil and cargo containing hazardous materials are on the ship, but there is no danger to the public

  • All 21 crew members, who are all Indian nationals and were not hurt in the crash, are still on board

  • The bridge snapped and plunged into the Patapsco River on Tuesday, about 01:30 ET (05:30 GMT), after the Dali container ship crashed into it

  • The vessel had lost power and issued a distress call moments before - but could not change course in time to avoid crashing into the bridge

  • President Biden has said the US government would cover the entire cost of rebuilding the bridge, but it's not clear how long this will take

Live Reporting

Edited by Brandon Livesay and Jemma Crew

  1. In pictures: The collapse of Baltimore’s Key Bridge

    The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed into the Patapsco River in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

    The full extent of the damage was visible after daybreak, which showed the few remaining pieces of the bridge jutting out above the water.

    The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapseReuters
    The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapseReutersThe Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapse
    The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapseReuters
    The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapseReuters
    The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapseMaxar

  2. What we know so far

    Map showing Baltimore port where bridge collapsed.

    Less than one hour after it left the Port of Baltimore, bound for Sri Lanka, the crew of the Dali sent a mayday signal, alerting port authorities that the ship had lost power and was out of control.

    But it appears from videos that the vessel was travelling too fast and the crew were unable to avoid hitting the bridge.

    The mayday call ensured that any additional cars were prevented from heading across the bridge, which Maryland Governor Wes Moore said “saved lives”.

    Eight people who were working on the bridge deck repairing potholes fell into the Patapsco river. Two were rescued, six remain missing and are now feared dead.

    Officials say the water temperature was about 48°F (9°C) at the time of the collapse. None of the 22-strong all-Indian crew were injured.

    Shipping giant Maersk confirmed the ship was chartered by them and was carrying its customer's cargo. It was being operated by charter vessel company Synergy Group.

    The first emergency unit arrived on the scene at 01:50 ET (5:50 GMT). The ongoing multi-agency rescue operation is led by the fire department, collaborating with the US Coastguard and other Maryland agencies.

    Governor Moore declared a state of emergency in Maryland at 10:00 local time.

    US President Joe Biden gave a news conference later in the day calling the collapse “a terrible accident” and pledging to rebuild the bridge.

  3. Welcome back

    Nadia Ragozhina
    Live reporter

    Good morning. You’re joining us for our second day of coverage of the bridge collapse in Baltimore.

    A container ship hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the early hours of Tuesday 26 March at approximately 01:30 ET(05:30 GMT).

    The ship, which is a Singapore-registered cargo vessel called the Dali, is understood to have lost power and veered off course.

    It was travelling at 9mph (15km/h) and resulted in the dramatic collapse of the 3km-long (1.6 mile) bridge.

    Two people have been found but six are believed to be missing and feared dead after falling into the water at the moment of impact. Search and rescue teams worked throughout the day yesterday to try to find them.

    The incident has been described by Mayor of Baltimore, Brandon Scott, as “an unthinkable tragedy” and US President Joe Biden has pledged that the government will pay for “the entire cost” of rebuilding the bridge.

    Stay with us as we bring you the latest updates.