Watch: Ship Behaved Erratically Just Before Slamming Into Bridge

A recent report revealed that just before a cargo ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore Harbor, it was observed drifting without control. Video footage from the incident at 1:30 a.m. depicted the ship's power flickering on and off as it drifted into a support beam, causing the bridge to collapse into the water.

Prior to the collision, smoke was seen emanating from the cargo ship Dali, as captured in footage shared on X. An unclassified report from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) stated that the Dali "lost propulsion," as reported by ABC.

According to the CISA report, the ship's crew made efforts to alert authorities about the unfolding situation, notifying them of the loss of control and the potential collision with the bridge. Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski expressed uncertainty about the human toll of the bridge collapse, citing challenging conditions such as deep water, strong currents, windy weather, and cold water.

In addition to concerns for individuals on the bridge, sonar scans revealed the presence of cars on the decks. Olszewski described the situation as a nightmare for the Baltimore region.

The cargo ship Dali, operated by Synergy Group and owned by Grace Ocean Pte. based in Singapore, was chartered by Maersk and bound for Sri Lanka. It was expected to reach Sri Lanka early the following month, according to MarineTraffic.

CNN reported that the Dali had undergone 27 inspections since its construction in 2015. A previous incident in the Port of Antwerp in 2016 resulted in hull damage affecting its seaworthiness. In June 2023, Chile identified deficiencies in propulsion and auxiliary machinery during an inspection.

The U.S. Coast Guard's inspection in New York on Sept. 9 found no deficiencies in the ship.