President Joe Biden has essentially ruled out terrorism or other foul play in relation to the collapse of a major Baltimore bridge after it was struck by a container ship, and said eight people were “still unaccounted for” as search-and-rescue operations continue.
“Everything indicates this was a terrible accident — at this time we have no other indication,” he said during a televised lunchtime address to the nation.
Biden also confirmed that the crew of the Maersk-chartered 9,962-teu Dali (built 2015) were able to alert Maryland state authorities in a mayday call that allowed them to close the Francis Scott Key Bridge to traffic, “which undoubtedly saved lives”.
The fully laden vessel, more than 900 feet (275 metres) long, or roughly the length of three football fields, is suspected to have “lost propulsion” in the minutes before the allision.
One person was rescued from the cold water without injury. A second was taken to hospital and listed in critical condition. Reports indicate there was a construction crew of eight on the bridge at the time of the incident.
Biden vowed to rebuild the collapsed portion of the 1.9-mile (1.2-km) bridge over the Patapsco River that is said to provide passage for an average of 30,000 motor vehicles per day.
“My intention is that the federal government will pay for the entire cost of rebuilding that bridge,” he said, adding that “this is going to take some time”.
The Democrat from the nearby state of Delaware took only a couple of questions after his prepared remarks. One came from a reporter who questioned his vow to pay for a new bridge in light of the container ship’s role in the collapse.
“We’re not going to wait for that to happen,” Biden said, in an apparent reference to the assignment of liability for the accident. “We’re going to pay for this bridge.”
While the president said the search-and-rescue efforts remain the top priority, he also addressed the economic impact of the temporary disruption of vessel traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore.
It is one of the main ports on the US East Coast and, among other cargoes, receives an estimated 850,000 motor vehicles per year, he added. “Fifteen thousand jobs depend on that port — we’re going to get it up and running as soon as possible.”
The US Army Corps of Engineers will take the lead on clearing the waterway of debris from the collapse once the rescue operation is concluded, he added.
Experts said on Tuesday that it may take days just to transport cranes to the area to allow that process to begin.
Biden said he has told Baltimore and Maryland officials that “we are sending all the federal resources they need …we’re not leaving until this job is done”.
Follow TradeWinds’ coverage of the disaster here
