Bangkok – The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore confirmed this Wednesday that the ship responsible for the collapse of a bridge in Baltimore (USA), in which six people died, had its documentation in order and passed two inspections. in June and September 2023.
Six construction workers died in this collapse after a container ship lost control and collided with infrastructure.
In a statement, the Port Authority indicated that the Dali ship, flying the Singapore flag since 2016, was classified as “ClassNK” and that it had the certificates covering “the structural integrity of the ship and the functionality of its equipment” in order.
At the June 2023 inspection, the container ship Dali had a faulty fuel pressure monitor, but it was repaired, and the ship was scheduled to undergo a further overhaul in June this year.
The Singapore Port Authority said Tuesday that it is in contact with the US Coast Guard to “provide necessary assistance” and will also open its own investigation into the incident.
The Singaporean company Synergy Group, which operates the Dali, also confirmed on Tuesday that none of the ship’s 22 crew members were injured and assured that it is collaborating with authorities to determine the causes of the incident.
Synergy Group indicated that “the exact cause has not yet been determined” why its ship collided with one of its pillars of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the American city, causing the infrastructure to collapse around 1:30 a.m. local time ( 05.30 GMT).
At least eight workers participating in work on the bridge fell into the dark waters of the river, and two of them were rescued alive.
Warning before collision
Before the collision, the container ship’s crew issued a warning that it was adrift, allowing authorities to cut off vehicle traffic on the bridge and prevent a major tragedy.
After searching for survivors in the waters, the US Coast Guard indicated that, given the time elapsed and the temperature, it considered the six missing dead.
Victims of the accident
Among the six victims are two Guatemalans, aged 26 and 35, originally from San Luis (Petén) and Camotán (Chiquimula), announced the Guatemalan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Honduran Maynor Sauzo also died, according to his family, although the Government of Honduras has not yet confirmed it.
The blockage of the Port of Baltimore, caused by the bridge collapse, is expected to have serious economic consequences for the area.
The president of the United States, Joe Biden, promised its reconstruction as soon as possible.
BY: Mian Saeed Ahmed Khan
