Investigators of the Baltimore Bridge Collapse provide a timeline of the events that preceded the ship accident.

 

Federal investigators have released fresh information regarding the events leading up to the massive cargo ship's power failure and collision with Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge. This includes the pilot's frantic cry for help and the actions taken by officials to evacuate passengers from the bridge.

In a news conference on Wednesday, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy stated that the cargo ship's pilot had made a radio contact just under three minutes prior to the collision, asking any nearby tugboats to assist the ship.

According to Marcel Muise, the NTSB investigator overseeing the collapse investigation, within a minute, police officers on both ends of the bridge were told to halt traffic crossing the structure, a move that many officials have acknowledged as potentially saving lives.

Wednesday marked the investigators' first full day on the scene. According to Homendy, they saw the "utter devastation" of the damaged bridge, portions of which are still draped over the ship's bow.

"When I see something like that, I don't worry about the cargo ships passing past or the traffic on the bridge starting up again. Homendy remarked, "I'm thinking about the families who have lost loved ones.


Two of the six construction workers' bodies were discovered on Wednesday stuck inside a waterlogged truck; they are currently thought to be dead. The search for the remaining four has been put on hold while heavy underwater debris that may be encasing their remains is cleared by salvage crews.

The voyage data recorder, or VDR, on board the ship was utilised by NTSB crews to roughly compile a timeline of the events preceding the incident. However, according to Homendy, it will take months for them to compile the mountains of hard copy evidence, maintenance logs, ship information, and witness interviews needed to produce a comprehensive report.