“Need to verify numbers of crew on board and their status”: US National Transportation Safety Board on Baltimore bridge collapse

Washington, DC [US], March 27 (ANI): US National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said that she has heard conflicting information regarding the on-board crew and their nationality who were on the container ship that collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Singapore-flagged vessel collided with one of the pillars of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland, leading to its collapse on Tuesday.

A 948-foot container ship smashed into a four-lane bridge in the US port of Baltimore.

When asked about the crew on board and their nationality, NTSB Chair Homendy said, “The question is who was on board the vessel and their nationalities. I have heard conflicting information on that…”

She further said, “I have seen information about crew members on board. We still need to verify the numbers of crew on board and their status.”

Earlier in the day, the shipping company, Synergy Maritime Group, said in a statement that there were 22 Indians on board and all of them were Indians.

Moreover, the NTSB Chair highlighted that personnel from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore will be arriving in the US tomorrow.

“I have been in contact with my counterpart in Singapore. The NTSB maintains relationships with our counterparts in other countries often and stays in close communication,” she said.

Homendy added that Chong is the director of the Transport Safety Investigations Board.

“So the director and I have been in communication many times before on safety. So it was a good conversation. He is sending some personnel here tomorrow. Also, personnel will be arriving from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, which has the focus of being the regulator in Singapore,” she said.

Earlier today, US President Joe Biden said that eight people were unaccounted for after the Baltimore Bridge collapse, out of which two have been rescued, while the rescue operation is ongoing for the remaining six.

Biden also said that the ship traffic in the port of Baltimore has been suspended until further notice and the channel will be cleared before the ship traffic resumes again.

Addressing a press conference, President Biden said, “Officials at the scene estimate eight people were unaccounted for. That number might change. Two have been rescued, one without injury and one in critical condition, and the search and rescue operation is continuing for all those remaining as we speak.”

He, however, also specified that there is “no indication” that there was an ‘intentional’ act here.

“Everything so far indicates that this was a terrible accident. At this time, we have no other indication, no other reason to believe there’s any intentional act here,” Biden said. (ANI)