NEW footage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse shows the horrifying moment the bridge crumbles into the water, sending cars into the frigid river below.
The bridge in Baltimore collapsed at around 1:30 am on Tuesday morning after a cargo ship, destined for Sri Lanka, crashed into one of the support piers.
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Cars were plunged 184 feet into the Patapsco River.
The vessel appeared to suffer a power outage as it approached one of the bridge’s supports with flickering lights.
Maryland’s transportation secretary, Paul Wiedefeld, confirmed that there were eight construction workers on the bridge at the time of the collapse.
The crew was filling in potholes moments before the tragedy.
Two workers were rescued from the water and six are now presumed dead.
A chilling video captured the moment the cargo ship smashed into a pillar sending the bridge falling apart into the river.
Lights that lined the bridge eerily shut off as they fell into the water, leaving the scene in complete darkness, according to the video from Storyful.
The person recording the video was in shock about what they just witnessed, stumbling over their words and repeatedly shouting “No way!”
“That is a monumental moment,” the person recording said.
“No way we just watched that,” said a second person.
More dramatic images from the scene showed the bridge toppled over the front of the ship.
Col. Roland L. Butler Jr., superintendent for Maryland State Police, said Tuesday evening that the search and rescue mission was transitioning to a rescue and recovery operation.
While the victims’ bodies have not yet been recovered, authorities temporarily suspended their search on Tuesday night.
Col. Butler Jr. said divers would return to the site at 6 a.m. on Wednesday when challenging conditions were expected to improve.
Earlier on Tuesday National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy confirmed a 24-person team was on the scene focusing on search and rescue operations.
‘SOMETHING OUT OF A MOVIE’
Mayor Brandon Scott spoke about the incident, calling it an “unthinkable tragedy.”
“This is a tragedy you can never imagine,” Scott said during a news conference.
“Never did you think you would see the Key Bridge tumble down like that. It looked like something out of a movie. Our focus should be the preservation of life.”
The mayor said a preliminary investigation suggested the collision was an accident.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, collapsed after a cargo ship bound for Asia smashed into one of its support pillars. Here is what we know so far:
- Search and rescue operations launched
- Six people are missing after falling into the water
- One rushed to the hospital in serious condition
- Sonar technology found cars in the water
- Baltimore mayor compares the scene to an action movie
- Cops do not suspect any terror links
- Cargo ship appears to have suffered power outages before the collision
- White House on hand to offer federal assistance
The FBI has also ruled out the incident being linked to a terror attack.
Baltimore’s Fire Chief, James Wallace, said that infrared and sonar technology showed at least five vehicles at the bottom of the Patapsco River.
The vehicles included three passenger cars, a cement truck, and one unknown vehicle, Wallace said.
“It’s the dynamic of an incident like this, operating in a space of uncertainty, it just makes things very difficult,” he told CNN.
“Add darkness to it, it becomes dangerous.”
President Joe Biden said that the federal government will pay for the bridge repair costs.
“As I told Governor Moore, I’ve directed my team to move heaven and earth to reopen the port and rebuild the bridge, as soon as humanly possible,” the president said.
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