Aerial photos show the catastrophic aftermath of the Baltimore bridge collapse

Talia Lakritz
·3 min read
Aerial photos show the catastrophic aftermath of the Baltimore bridge collapse

  • A container ship hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse.

  • Aerial photos show pieces of the bridge remaining in the water after the crash.

  • Highway signs alerted drivers to road closures and instructed them to use alternate routes.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore declared a state of emergency after a cargo ship struck Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday, causing it to collapse.

The collapse sent people and vehicles plunging into the icy, 50-foot-deep waters below. Six people who were on the bridge remain missing.

With the bridge and the surrounding harbor now closed, the catastrophe is also likely to have a major economic impact on Baltimore businesses.

Photos show the aftermath of the Baltimore bridge's collapse.

In the early hours of March 26, the cargo ship Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse.

An aerial view of the cargo ship Dali in the wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
An aerial view of the cargo ship Dali in the wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

Livestream video showed the ship striking a support beam at 1:28 a.m. Less than 10 seconds later, the bridge had completely collapsed.

Aerial photos taken hours later show pieces of the bridge sticking out of the water with twisted pieces of metal on top of the ship.

An aerial view of the cargo ship that hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore
The cargo ship Dali is seen after running into and collapsing the Francis Scott Key Bridge.Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

The ship lost power and broadcast a "mayday" distress call before striking the bridge. At a press conference Tuesday, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said Dali's distress signal enabled authorities to close the bridge ahead of the crash, saving lives.

Search-and-rescue boats surrounded the site of the crash, searching for survivors.

An aerial view of the cargo ship that hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge
In an aerial view, the cargo ship Dali is seen after running into and collapsing the Francis Scott Key Bridge.Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

Six people remain missing since the collapse, Maryland transportation secretary Paul Wiedefeld said at a news conference Tuesday.

The ship sustained damage in the crash, as well.

Pieces of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on top of the cargo ship that crashed into it
The steel frame of the Francis Scott Key Bridge sits on top of the container ship Dali after the bridge collapsed in Baltimore.JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

The Dali cargo ship was involved in another crash in the Port of Antwerp in Belgium in 2016.

Authorities directed traffic on I-695 away from the wreckage.

A collapsed section of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore
Traffic remains closed at the Francis Scott Key Bridge.Rob Carr/Getty Images

The bridge spanned 10.9 miles and cost $60.3 million to build when it was completed in 1977, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority.

Local traffic signs instructed drivers to use alternate routes.

A highway sign warning about the Francis Scott Key Bridge closure
A traffic warning sign is displayed on Route 95 after a cargo ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing it to collapse.Kena Betancur/Getty Images

Around 34,000 vehicles crossed the bridge every day, according to a 2023 report by the Maryland Transportation Authority.

Maryland residents stopped to look at the scene of the crash.

A man looks at the cargo ship that hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge
A Maryland resident looks at Dali cargo vessel that crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge from Riviera Beach, Maryland.Nathan Howard/Reuters

The ship was visible from Riviera Beach, Maryland, about 13 miles from the bridge.

Injured sailors from the Dali cargo ship were loaded into ambulances at the shore.

An injured sailor is loaded into an ambulance after a cargo ship hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore
An injured sailor from Dali is loaded into an ambulance.Julia Nikhinson/Reuters

The Dali had 22 crew members on board at the time of the crash, all of whom survived, The Washington Post reported.

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