At least 6 presumed dead after Baltimore bridge collapses into frigid Patapsco River

04:03

Drone video of the Francis Scott Key Bridge disaster

The National Transportation Safety Board has released video of the aftermath of a cargo vessel striking the Francis Scott Key Bridge outside of Baltimore.

BALTIMORE – Multiple vehicles and construction crew members were sent into Baltimore's frigid Patapsco River on Tuesday morning after a shipping container vessel collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing a portion of it to collapse.

U.S. Coast Guard watchstanders received a report at their regional command center at 1:27 a.m. EDT reporting a 948-foot Singapore-flagged container ship collided with the four-lane bridge along Interstate 695. The FBI has indicated that there is no current evidence linking the incident to terrorism.

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Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said eight construction crew members fell into the river while filling potholes on the bridge. Six of these members are still unaccounted for, while two were rescued. One of the rescued was rushed to a nearby hospital in serious condition, while the other refused treatment at the scene. How many vehicles were on the bridge at the time of the collapse is unknown.

According to Moore, the "Dali" cargo ship's crew, which Synergy Marine Group operated, lost power and called for help just before the tragedy occurred. There were no reported injuries to crew members. The ship was en route from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka, as its ultimate destination.

In an aerial view, cargo ship Dali is seen after running into and collapsing the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. Rescuers are searching for at least seven people, authorities say, while two others have been pulled from the Patapsco River.

(Tasos Katopodis / Getty Images)

"We're thankful that between the mayday and the collapse that we had officials who were able to begin to stop the flow of traffic, so more cars were not on the bridge," Moore said, limiting the number of vehicles involved in what officials have called a "mass casualty event." No specific information regarding fatalities has been released. 

"But the thing we do know is that many of the vehicles were stopped before they got onto the bridge, which saved lives in a very, very heroic way," the governor added.

Maxar Technologies, a Colorado-based space technology company, released satellite images of the 1.6-mile-long bridge before and after the strike. Images showed at least three spans that failed and ended up in the Patapsco River.

SEE IT: SATELLITE IMAGES SHOW BALTIMORE BRIDGE BEFORE AND AFTER COLLAPSE

MAXAR satellite imagery before and after the collision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland on March 26, 2024.  

(Satellite image ©2024 Maxar Technologies / FOX Weather)

President Joe Biden said search and rescue operations were the nation's top priority on Tuesday. Ship traffic in the Port of Baltimore has been suspended until further notice.

"Our prayers are with everyone involved in this terrible accident and all the families, especially those waiting for news of their loved one right now," Biden added. "I know every minute in that circumstance feels like a lifetime. I just don't know. It's just terrible."

During a news conference Tuesday morning, Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace told reporters that crews were still very much in an active search and rescue posture and would continue to be for some time.

Officials reported that cars in the water had been detected by sonar technology, with the water reaching a depth of approximately 50 feet.

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Moore declared a state of emergency as his office was in close communication with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Baltimore's mayor and other emergency personnel on the scene.

Baltimore's Martin State Airport reported air temperatures in the mid- to upper 30s during the collision. Water temperatures in the Patapsco River were in the upper 40s. 

Hypothermia can occur shortly after falling into cold water, even if the symptoms take some time to appear. 

At water temperatures between 40 and 50 degrees, a person without protective clothing can lose dexterity in less than five minutes. They can become unconscious and drown without a flotation device within 30-60 minutes. Even with a flotation device, the likely survival time is between two and three hours.

A look at the water temperature in the Patapsco River on Tuesday morning.

(FOX Weather)

Response boat crews from Coast Guard Stations Curtis Bay and Annapolis have crews deployed to the incident for active search and rescue. FBI Baltimore personnel are also on the scene and working with local, state and federal agencies. 

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Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City dispatched an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew along with Coast Guard investigators and pollution responders to the incident.

01:19

Watch: Baltimore bridge lies in ruins after cargo ship collision

The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltmore’s Outer Harbor collapsed overnight on Tuesday.

Wallace said the tide was coming back in, and the current influence in the water presented a challenge for search and rescue crews. However, despite the conditions, crews could still dive.

"The fact that there may be trauma involved. They have been in the water an extended period of time," he added. "But also remember, we're battling darkness. It's quite possible that we may have somebody there that we've not seen yet. We're going to rely on the experts, which are our dive masters … to tell us when they believe we've reached that non-survivability."

Around 50 divers were in the water Tuesday searching for the unaccounted and have said there are several vehicles in the river.

"Well, this is a tragedy, as you can never imagine," Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said during a news conference Tuesday morning. "I was awake when Chief Wallace called me, but never would you think that you would see, physically see, the Key Bridge tumbled down like that. It looked like something out of an action movie."

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01:09

Baltimore bridge collapses after hit by large ship

A shipping container vessel collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing a portion of it to collapse Tuesday morning.

Some operations shift to the port of Norfolk

Some cargo traffic, as well as Carnival Cruise Line, have shifted operations out of Baltimore and to Norfolk, Virginia, for the foreseeable future.

Carnival announced Tuesday that its "Legend" ship would be temporarily based out of the Virginia port.

Norfolk is roughly a four-hour drive south of Baltimore along the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay.

"Our thoughts remain with the impacted families and first responders in Baltimore," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "We appreciate the pledge made by President Biden today to dedicate all available resources to reopen Baltimore Harbor to marine traffic as soon as possible. As those plans are finalized, we will update our future cruise guests on when we will return home to Baltimore, but in the meantime, we appreciate the quick response and support from officials in Norfolk."

Local authorities have given no indication of when debris from the bridge disaster will be cleaned up, allowing for the safe travel of large vessels.