Authorities Make Statements After Baltimore Bridge Incident

Pete Buttigieg, the United States Secretary of Transportation, has just announced his commitment to support local officials in the wake of the recent incident.

He stated, "I’ve spoken with Governor Moore and Mayor Scott to offer USDOT’s (United States Secretary of Transportation) support following the vessel strike and collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge.

"Rescue efforts remain underway and drivers in the Baltimore area should follow local responder guidance on detours and response."

In addition, the FBI and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) have arrived at the scene to aid in the investigative efforts alongside local law enforcement, as conveyed by CBS, the BBC's affiliate in the US.

Following the incident, Governor Wes Moore has initiated a state of emergency across Maryland.

Moore shared: "We are working with an interagency team to quickly deploy federal resources from the Biden Administration."

He expressed his gratitude towards the "brave men and women who are carrying out efforts to rescue those involved and pray for everyone’s safety".

Continuing, he assured that he would keep in direct communication with federal, state, and local agencies involved in the rescue operations to "assess and respond to this tragedy" effectively.