Collapsed bridge in the USA: investigators recover the ship’s black box and will investigate improper fuel | World

Bridge collapses after being hit by ship in the USA

Divers participating in investigations into the ship that crashed into a bridge in Baltimore, United States, on Tuesday (26), recovered the vessel’s black box, according to the case’s investigation team on Wednesday (27). .

The crash caused the bridge to completely collapse (see video above).

During this morning, divers who were also searching for survivors found the vessel’s data recorder, according to the director general of the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Jennifer Homendy.

Starting this Wednesday, the NTSB, which is in charge of the investigations, will analyze the data. Homendy also stated that teams will investigate whether the use of improper fuel may have affected the ship’s power outage.

The vessel, a Singapore-flagged container ship, had just left the port of Baltimore and was headed to Sri Lanka. Minutes before the collision with the bridge, however, the commander reported having requested control of the ship.

Also on Wednesday, authorities ended the search for victims. According to the chief of the local fire department, James Wallace, two people were pulled from the water alive, one of whom is in serious condition.

Six other people are missing.

The six missing are workers who worked in maintenance in the middle of the bridge. Jeffrey Pritzker, vice president of the company responsible for the workers, told the AP that he considers it unlikely that the group is alive, considering the time that has passed since the accident and the temperature of the water.

The temperature in Baltimore this morning was around -1ºC, according to the American network CNN. The water temperature is around 9ºC — capable of causing death from hypothermia, depending on the individual’s exposure time. The channel has a depth of up to 15 meters and strong currents.

Firefighters also used drones with infrared cameras and sonars in searches.

According to US President Joe Biden, there is no evidence that the raid was intentional.

The ship involved in the accident is a Singapore-flagged container ship and was destined for Sri Lanka.

The freighter, named Dali, has 300 meters long and 48 wideaccording to the MarineTraffic website.

The ship was operated by the company Synergy and was in service with the Danish company Maersk, according to CNN. According to the operator, no crew member was injured in the collision.

To facilitate the work of firefighters, the Maryland Transportation Authority blocked all roads in the area of ​​the Francis Scott Key Bridge — a important connection between two points in the citycrossing the Patapsco River.

Naval traffic in the port of Baltimore was also suspended and was not expected to resume this Tuesday. The agency that controls aviation in the US also restricted airspace and asked that private drones not fly over the region.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore declared a state of emergency. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said he is in contact with the governor and Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott.

According to the FBI and the national secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, there is no indication of a terrorist act in the incident, nor that it was intentional. According to the ABC News TV network, the ship lost propulsion while maneuvering to leave the port.

Later, the Maryland government confirmed the information.

Opened in 1977, the bridge was almost 3 kilometers long and had four lanes, which were approximately 55 meters above the water. The structure also had a drawbridge that provided access to the port of Baltimore.

The bridge was named after the author of the poem that gave rise to the United States anthem. According to scholars, Francis Scott Key wrote the verses after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry, in 1814, in the Baltimore region.