Our Bureau
Baltimore, MD
US President Joe Biden lauded the 22-member Indian crew aboard the freighter Dali for their prompt Mayday distress call, credited with saving many lives during the ship’s collision with the Baltimore bridge.
“Personnel on board the ship were able to alert the Maryland Department of Transportation that they had lost control of their vessel, as you all know and have reported. As a result, local authorities were able to close the bridge to traffic before the bridge was struck, which undoubtedly saved lives,” Biden said. “We’re incredibly grateful for the brave rescuers who immediately rushed to the scene,” he added.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge is considered one of the busiest in the country. The governor of Maryland Wes Moore called the Indian crew “heroes” for their prompt warning before the collision, which resulted in “saving many lives”.
The ship, named “Dali”, collided with one of the pillars of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to snap and plunge into the river below. The vessel, owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd and bound from Baltimore to Colombo, had a capacity of 10,000 TEU and was carrying 4,679 TEU.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore said that the container ship, before colliding with the Baltimore Bridge, made a ‘mayday’ call which prompted officials to stop traffic and evacuate people on the bridge,
The accident is likely to have a major impact on the region. Shipping activities may come to a halt for a few days because of all the debris lying around, while the traffic in Baltimore could get affected after the loss of the bridge.
