Baltimore Bridge Collision: What Happened Exactly?

Baltimore at night as seen from the water
The Americas Accidents & Emergencies
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Updated Published

The cause of the incident remains uncertain, yet BBC Verify has been examining footage of the crash alongside the voyage records of the Dali via the ship monitoring service, MarineTraffic.

The cargo vessel embarked from the Seagirt Marine Terminal in Baltimore at precisely 00:24 local time (04:24 GMT) on March 26.

It gradually picked up speed, navigating a direct southeast course along the Patapsco River.

However, at 01:25, MarineTraffic data indicates a sudden deviation from its course, with the vessel also beginning to decelerate.

Coinciding with this, footage captured all external lights on the vessel abruptly going out, followed by the emergence of smoke from its funnel.

At 01:28, the Dali collided with a segment of the bridge, leading to its structural failure.