How Did A Cargo Ship Send A Massive Bridge Tumbling Into The River? Experts Weigh In.

It will likely take weeks or months for federal investigators to sort out exactly what led to a container ship striking and collapsing the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, on Tuesday. But shipping industry experts, engineers and law enforcement have started to glean information from videos, photos and accounts of the disaster.

The accident appears to have resulted from a perfect storm of mechanical failures, dated bridge design, and unfortunate timing and location.

The Dali, a 948-foot, Singapore-flagged container ship, was navigating out of the Port of Baltimore when it experienced a power issue and “ momentary loss of propulsion .” Apparent attempts to slow the vessel proved unsuccessful. At 1:28 a.m., the Dali plowed into one of the bridge’s two main piers, sending almost all of the 1.6-mile long structure plummeting into the Patapsco River.

Approximately 90 seconds before the collision, the Dali’s crew sent out a mayday call which allowed authorities to halt traffic onto the bridge. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) said during a press conference Tuesday that the distress call and quick action of law enforcement undoubtedly saved lives. But eight construction workers were unable to escape the bridge before it crumbled. Two were rescued from the water and six others are presumed dead.

Contrary to myriad conspiracy theories circulating in right-wing circles, federal and local officials have stressed there is no evidence of foul play. Maritime experts have described the incident as a freak accident.

“Losing power while you’re approaching a bridge would be just about the worst case scenario,” Michael Kucharski, a former maritime investigator at the National Transportation Safety Board, told CBS News.

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