Black Box Recovered From Dali Ship Reveals Tragic Last Moments Before Bridge Collapse

A bridge collapse near the Port of Baltimore has caused widespread disruption and loss of life. The National Transportation Safety Board conducted a thorough investigation at the site of Baltimore’s tragic Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and reported the incident during a news conference.

Jennifer Homendy, the NTSB Chair, confirmed that 21 crew members and two pilots were onboard the cargo ship MV Dali when the incident occurred.

Fifty-six containers were aboard the ship, containing 764 tonnes of hazardous material, mostly flammables, corrosives, and lithium-ion batteries. Some containers were breached, reflecting a sheen on the waterway.

According to initial investigations, the late 1970s-built bridge needed to be more structurally sound like most current bridges and needed redundancy. The investigation’s goal is to determine the precise reason for the collapse, which could result in immediate safety advice.

The NTSB team inspected the vessel, the damage it contained, the containers, and the bridge structure. Before the collapse, alerts were recorded on the ship’s bridge audio at 1:24 a.m., followed by a blackout in the vessel’s system data recorded by the voyage data recorder.

Video Credits: NTSBgov/YouTube

The vessel’s pilot initiated distress calls and attempted repositioning the ship before dropping anchor to avoid disaster. But at 1:29 a.m., the vessel struck the bridge, causing it to collapse.

VDR Data comprises audio from the ship’s bridge and recordings from the ship’s VHF (very high frequency) radios. The audio quality varies widely because of the high background noise and alarms.

The VDR also recorded limited sensor data, such as the speed of the ship, engine RPM, ship’s heading, and rudder angle, along with the ship’s departure, transit outbound, and striking of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

The NTSB engineers are validating all of the collected data.

The sudden closure of a highway that transports 30,000 vehicles daily and the disruption of a critical shipping port would affect thousands of dockworkers, commuters, and U.S. consumers, who would suffer from shipment delays.

The Port of Baltimore is a popular entry point on the East Coast for new vehicles manufactured in Germany, Mexico, Japan, and the United Kingdom, as well as coal and farm equipment.

Homendy stated that although the NTSB may offer urgent safety recommendations, the probe might take 12 to 24 months. A preliminary report should be available within two to four weeks.

Reference: NTSB

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