Baltimore crash: US President Biden lauds Indian crew's swift action
What's the story
Six people are presumed dead in the crash that took place after a cargo ship rammed into Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday. The collision, triggered by a critical power failure onboard the ship, resulted in the bridge's collapse into the Patapsco River. However, the list of casualties could have been much longer if the ship's Indian crew hadn't sent a timely distress signal. It was their "mayday" call that facilitated the bridge's closure right before the accident.
Swift action
Alert crew averts greater disaster
The "Dali," with 22 Indian crew members, was journeying from Baltimore Harbor to Sri Lanka when it experienced a significant power malfunction. Shortly after, the Maryland Department of Transportation received a distress call from the crew. This threw them into immediate action and assisted them in closing the bridge to traffic minutes before the disastrous crash. "A dispatcher issued a warning over the radio about a massive cargo ship losing its steering capabilities and heading towards the Bridge," officials recalled.
Biden's reaction
US President and Maryland Governor commend crew's efforts
The United States President Joe Biden labeled the incident as a "terrible accident." He praised the Indian crew members and rescue personnel for their swift actions. He pledged that the federal government will pay the full cost to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Maryland Governor Wes Moore also recognized the Indian crew as heroes, stating, "These people are heroes. They saved lives last night." Separately, the vessel's management company, Synergy Marine Group, confirmed "that all crew members were safe."
Rescue operations
Six workers presumed dead, two rescued from river water
Despite immediate response to the distress call, eight construction workers were reported missing following the bridge's collapse. Notably, one official claimed that he was preparing to drive onto the bridge to inform the construction workers but it was too late. Two workers were rescued successfully, but due to harsh water conditions and time passed since the accident, six workers were presumed dead. Consequently, search operations were called off on Wednesday morning.
Twitter Post
Indian Embassy expresses condolences, creates hotline
Our heartfelt condolences to all affected by the unfortunate accident at the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
— India in USA (@IndianEmbassyUS) March 26, 2024
For any Indian citizens that may be affected/ require assistance, the Embassy of India has created a dedicated hotline: please reach out to us on +1-202-717-1996.…
Victims
All victims belonged to the Latin American community
The workers presumed dead belonged to Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico, Jesus Campos, a colleague from their construction team has said. One of those believed to be deceased was Miguel Luna, a veteran employee who had served 15 years with the construction firm. CASA—an organization dedicated to serving Latino and immigrant communities—conveyed deep sorrow over Luna's passing. This came as the US Coast Guard confirmed, "At this point, we do not believe we are going to find any[one]...still alive."