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The Vessel that Hit a Baltimore Bridge had a Prior collision in 2016

The cargo vessel that collided with a bridge in Baltimore had previously been in an accident in Antwerp in 2016. The ship, known as The Dali, was said to have been held in Belgium after hitting the side of the quay and causing substantial damage to the hull, despite the weather being favorable at the time.

The identical ship that collided with the Baltimore Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday, causing its destruction and resulting in people and vehicles falling into the water, was previously engaged in a crash while departing the port of Antwerp, Belgium, in 2016.

As per Vessel Finder and the maritime incident archive Shipwrecklog, the Dali – a 948ft (290-meter) cargo ship capable of carrying 10,000 containers – was departing the container terminal of Antwerp en route to Bremerhaven.

The stern of the ship reportedly scraped the side of the quay, causing significant damage to several meters of the hull as its bow swung around. Following the incident, the ship was detained by authorities and docked in Deurganckdok, Belgium. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries or adverse pollution resulting from the incident.

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According to Vessel Finder, the weather conditions were favorable at the time, and the ship’s master and pilot on board were held responsible for the incident. The exact composition of the ship’s crew remains unclear. Vessel Finder stated that the ship, constructed in South Korea in 2015 by Hyundai Heavy Industries, was owned by the Greek company Oceanbulk Maritime but chartered by Maersk.

On Tuesday, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) confirmed that the Dali was registered in Singapore and had a crew of 22 individuals. Maersk, in a statement, clarified that all crew members were Indian but none of them were Maersk personnel. The ship was operated by the charter vessel company Synergy Group.

Maersk has been contacted for further comments regarding the incident.

READ: Baltimore Key Bridge Collapses After Major Hit By A Ship

The Dali’s collision with the Baltimore bridge resulted in the collapse of approximately 2.6km (1.6 miles) of the structure. As a result, several vehicles plunged into the Patapsco River below. At a pre-dawn press conference on Tuesday, officials reported that at least seven individuals were still being searched for, with two individuals already rescued. One of the rescued individuals is in critical condition.

According to officials, a group of vehicles and eight construction workers were plunged into the Patapsco River due to the accident. Although two individuals were successfully rescued on Tuesday, Jeffrey Pritzker, a senior executive at Brawner Builders, the company employing the workers, stated that the remaining six are presumed to have perished, considering the river’s depth and the time elapsed since the incident.

Maryland authorities have reached a consensus and confirmed that the recovery operation will resume tomorrow morning, involving a team of divers.

Pritzker mentioned that the construction crew was in the midst of their work on the bridge when it unexpectedly collapsed. As of now, no bodies have been retrieved.