Audio reveals chaos before Dali hit Baltimore bridge

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Audio reveals chaos before Dali hit Baltimore bridge

Cover image: ©AP News

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published new findings on the collision between the containership Dali and the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

According to the NTSB, on 26 March 2024, the Singapore-flagged Dali was departing Baltimore Harbour when it suffered a sudden loss of electrical power and propulsion.

This power failure occurred just three ship lengths from the bridge, causing the vessel to strike the southern pier supporting the central truss spans. The impact led to a significant portion of the bridge collapsing into the river, with sections falling onto the Dali’s forward deck.

At the time of the incident, a road maintenance crew of seven and an inspector were working on the bridge. Tragically, six crew members were killed, while one worker and one person aboard the Dali sustained injuries

READ: Last missing body recovered from Baltimore Bridge collapse

The NTSB noted that the bridge’s most recent inspections in 2021 and 2023 had rated its condition as satisfactory, with pier protection systems in place and functioning.

Audio transcripts released by the NTSB reveal the chaotic moments on the Dali’s bridge as the crew struggled to regain control and issued urgent warnings to authorities in the minutes before impact.

The crew reported the blackout and loss of steering and attempted to alert local traffic and emergency services to clear the bridge.

The NTSB’s preliminary investigation found that the Dali’s electrical system had experienced previous issues, including a blackout while still docked in Baltimore.

Investigators identified a loose cable in the ship’s electrical distribution system as a potential cause for the blackout, which was confirmed through simulation by the manufacturer’s engineers. When disconnected, the cable caused a blackout similar to the one experienced before the collision.

READ: Dali leaves Port of Baltimore three months after bridge collapse

In response to the incident, the NTSB has recommended that bridge owners nationwide conduct vulnerability assessments to better understand and mitigate the risks posed by vessel strikes.

The Board concluded that, had such an assessment been carried out for the Key Bridge, the high level of risk—almost 30 times the acceptable threshold—could have been identified and addressed.

In October 2024, Singaporean companies Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine, operators of the Dali vessel, agreed to settle a civil claim for costs from the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.

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