When was the Francis Scott Key Bridge built? Maryland structure collapses after ship collision

Disaster struck early Tuesday morning when a container ship smashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland. The collision led to the collapse of the entire structure into the Patapsco River. The ship crew had sent out a mayday call due to a power issue before the collision. Multiple vehicles, along with contractors on the Francis Scott Key Bridge, plunged into the cold water.

Two people were rescued from the river, with one unharmed and the other in critical condition. A search is currently underway for six missing construction workers who were on the bridge. The Francis Scott Key Bridge was opened on March 23, 1977, and was named after the man who wrote The Star-Spangled Banner, Francis Scott Key.

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Six people are missing after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge

In August 1972, construction began for a bridge at an estimated cost of $110 million to provide an alternative route across Baltimore Harbor for trucks carrying hazardous materials that were prohibited on the existing Fort McHenry and Baltimore Harbor tunnels. Five years later, on March 23, 1977, the bridge finally opened to traffic.

This bridge was named after the writer of the American national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, Francis Scott Key. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, the four-lane structure had a total main span of 1,200 feet, the third longest continuous-truss bridge span in the world. It also spanned a total of 8,636 feet in length.

At around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 26, the Francis Scott Key Bridge was struck down by an oncoming container ship called the Dali. Footage of the devastating collapse of the structure was all over social media. The ship heading to Sri Lanka was chartered by a Danish-based shipping company named Maersk, operated by the Synergy Group, and owned by the Singapore-based company Grace Ocean Pte.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott declared a state of emergency to mobilize resources. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore confirmed in a press conference that the crew of the ship, which was moving at a speed of 9 miles an hour, had notified authorities of a power issue before the collision and further confirmed that the ship had lost power.

Moore also stated that a mayday call sent out by the ship allowed authorities in the area to stop vehicles from getting onto the Francis Scott Key Bridge. However, multiple vehicles, along with contractors who were working on the bridge, plunged into the Patapsco River. Two people were thankfully rescued from the river, and according to USA Today, one person was discharged.

The other person remained in the hospital in serious condition. A search is currently underway to rescue six missing construction workers who plunged into the 50-foot-deep river. The Baltimore City Fire Department's James Wallace stated that multiple agencies and technologies were involved in coordinated efforts to search for the missing people.

He said that a myriad of federal, state, and local agencies were searching for the people on and underneath the surface of the river using the help of sonar technology, helicopters, divers, and other tools. Sonar had already found a few cars submerged in the water.

Due to the coldness of the river, the chance of the missing people contracting hypothermia is also a huge risk factor. The river being a tidal estuary also causes difficulty in rescue efforts. Wallace said that, at the time, the tide was coming back in. On the other hand, Synergy Marine Corp. confirmed that all its crew members were accounted for and uninjured.