The US State of Maryland has declared a state of emergency after a cargo ship crashed into a bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse.

Officials say several vehicles were on the bridge at the time – including one as large as a tractor-trailer. The fire department says two people have been rescued, one of whom is in critical condition. Emergency workers are trying to rescue at least seven others believed to be in the water. Authorities are calling it a mass casualty, multi-agency event and say the operation is going to extend for many days. Shipping in and out of the Baltimore port has also been suspended until further notice.

The ship that caused the collapse is a Singapore-flagged vessel managed by the Synergy Marine Group. The company says all of its crew members have been accounted for and no injuries have been reported.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge was 2.6 kilometers long with four lanes. More than 11 million vehicles used it every year, and it is a major part of the road network on the US east coast.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro and report
02:53 Helen Sampson, Cardiff University
06:03 Janelle Dumalaon, DW Correspondent
08:38 Mohammad Mehdi Kashani, Professor in Structural Mechanics


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