The 289m ship had reported a lack of propulsion shortly earlier than affect and dropped anchor to sluggish the vessel, giving transportation authorities time to halt site visitors on the bridge earlier than the crash. That transfer possible prevented a better loss of life toll, authorities stated.
It was unclear whether or not authorities additionally tried to alert the work crew forward of the affect.
Assortment of information from the ship will present investigators with a timeline of what occurred as quickly as Wednesday, the NTSB’s Homendy advised reporters as she ready to board the vessel.
The method will contain taking photographs of the ship and the bridge, getting digital logs and likewise interviewing first responders. The company will even study whether or not contaminated gas performed a job within the ship’s energy loss, she stated.
SHIP’S SAFETY RECORD
The Baltimore wreck drew consideration to the vessel’s security report. The ship was concerned in an incident within the port of Antwerp, Belgium, in 2016, hitting a quay because it tried to exit the North Sea container terminal.
An inspection in 2023 carried out in Chile discovered “propulsion and auxiliary equipment” deficiencies, in keeping with knowledge on the Equasis public web site, which supplies info on ships.
However Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority stated in a press release that the vessel handed two separate foreign-port inspections in June and September 2023. It stated a defective gas stress gauge was rectified earlier than the vessel departed the port following its June 2023 inspection.
Video footage on social media confirmed the vessel slamming into the 47-year-old Key Bridge in darkness, the headlights of autos seen on the span because it crashed into the water and the ship caught fireplace.
