A voyage data recorder will be critical to the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation, agency chair Jennifer Homendy said on Tuesday.
She stated that a recorder team is onsite as part of the investigation efforts.
March 26, 2024 - Baltimore Key Bridge collapses after ship collision
By Helen Regan, Kathleen Magramo, Antoinette Radford, Alisha Ebrahimji, Maureen Chowdhury, Rachel Ramirez, Elise Hammond, Aditi Sangal, Tori B. Powell, Piper Hudspeth Blackburn and Kathleen Magramo, CNN
Updated 2:04 a.m. ET, March 27, 2024
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Voyage data recorder will be a critical part of investigation, NTSB board chair says
From CNN's Maureen Chowdhury
Team of 24 experts will evaluate vessel operations, safety history and records, NTSB chair says
From CNN's Alisha Ebrahimji
National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said there is a lot of information that officials need to collect following the collapse of Baltimore's Francis Sott Key Bridge.
A team of 24 experts will dig into nautical operations, vessel operations, safety history records, owners, operators, company policy and any sort of safety management systems or programs, Homendy said.
NTSB is "standing back" to allow Coast Guard to continue search and rescue efforts
From CNN's Rachel Ramirez
National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said the agency is "standing back" to allow the US Coast Guard to continue their search and rescue operations, as NTSB gathers more information from the command post.
"There is a lot of information that we can begin to collect," Homendy said.
NTSB will not comment on possible fatalities, board chair says
From CNN's Maureen Chowdhury
National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said the agency will not answer questions about injuries or the possible of fatalities following from the Baltimore bridge collapse.
Homendy directed reporters to other agencies for updates. Search and rescue efforts are ongoing.
Six people remain unaccounted for following the bridge collapse. Two people were rescued from the water earlier Tuesday.
NTSB is leading the investigation, agency chief says
From CNN's Aditi Sangal
National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation of the collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said Tuesday afternoon.
"Under our memorandum of understanding with the Coast Guard, the NTSB is leading the investigation. The Coast Guard will support this investigation," Homendy said.
NTSB arrived at the collapsed Key Bridge at 6 a.m. ET
From CNN's Elise Hammond
The National Transportation Safety Board arrived at the site of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge at 6 a.m. ET on Tuesday, according to NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy.
NOW: National Transportation Safety Board gives an update on Baltimore bridge collapse
From CNN staff
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is giving an update on the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday after it was hit by a container ship.
Officials said at least six people are still unaccounted for and search and rescue operations are underway. There was a crew of construction workers on the bridge when it fell, according to authorities.
The NTSB already launched a "go team" to investigate the incident, it said earlier Tuesday. This team consists of technical experts and specialists across the agency on rotational duty assignment to respond as quickly as possible, it said.
US Embassy in touch with Singapore's port authority, State Department says
From CNN’s Jennifer Hansler and Kylie Atwood
The US Embassy in Singapore has been in contact with the country’s Maritime and Port Authority, in the wake of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Tuesday.
Miller said Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority “has offered to provide assistance to the US Coast Guard.”
The tanker, which collided with the bridge causing the collapse, was Singapore-flagged and bound for Sri Lanka, but Miller said he was “not aware of any contacts with Sri Lanka.”
The ship was chartered by Danish shipping company Maersk and was carrying their customers' cargo, the Danish shipping company told CNN. It also said the ship, DALI, is operated by charter vessel company Synergy Group.
Bridge collapse will have lasting impact on Maryland economy, local union head says
From CNN's Yahya Abou-Ghazala
The president of the International Longshoremen’s Association Local 333 in Baltimore, Maryland, said the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge will have major consequences for the port’s workforce and the state’s economy for the foreseeable future.
"We are at a standstill, we make our living off of import and export cargo, unloading and loading, discharging and loading ships," Scott Cowan, president of ILA Local 333, said. "This is going to put a very big strain on the economy in the state of Maryland because the port of Baltimore is one of the main engines, main drivers of the economy of Maryland, this is going to create a big problem."
The ILA’s work relies on the flow of cargo ships through the port as its workers are responsible for securing loads on and off the deck, operating the cranes and running the boxes throughout the yard.
"Until those ships can come up and down the bay, the little bit of cargo that's in the terminal will be imported and exported out and then we'll be waiting for the channel to open — I don't know how long it's going to take," Cowan added.
Cowan said that these massive cargo shops are very difficult to stop — especially when you face issues with power outage and propulsion.
"This is not like a car, they don't have brakes," Cowan said.
