Baltimore’s Long Ordeal Ends as Container Ship Dali is Refloated
The massive container ship Dali, which caused a devastating accident in Baltimore on March 26th, has finally been refloated after nearly two months stuck in the Patapsco River. The incident involved the Dali colliding with the Francis Scott Key Bridge (FSK), a crucial transportation artery for the city.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Baltimore District announced on Monday evening that the Dali was successfully refloated at approximately 6:40 am. Favorable weather conditions allowed tugboats to safely move the ship away from the crash site. This marked a significant milestone for Baltimore, which has been grappling with the aftermath of the accident for weeks.
The accident itself was a tragedy. The Dali struck a pillar of the FSK Bridge, a 50-year-old structure carrying thousands of vehicles daily. The impact caused the bridge to collapse, tragically taking the lives of six construction workers who were performing maintenance on the bridge at the time.
The massive ship became lodged after the accident, blocking the passage of other cargo vessels in the Port of Baltimore, a major economic hub for the region. The disruption caused significant economic strain as cargo movement stalled.
The refloating of the Dali is a positive step towards normalcy, but the road to full recovery is long. The cause of the accident is still under investigation. The FBI has launched a criminal inquiry alongside separate investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Coast Guard’s Marine Board of Investigation. Determining the cause of the accident will be crucial to preventing similar tragedies in the future.
Meanwhile, the 20 Indian crew members who were onboard the Dali during the accident remain with the vessel. They have endured a difficult ordeal for over 50 days and will likely be questioned by investigators as part of the ongoing probes.
The Baltimore community is undoubtedly relieved to see the Dali removed from the crash site. However, the accident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safety regulations and infrastructure maintenance. The NTSB investigation will hopefully shed light on what went wrong and pave the way for improved safety measures in the maritime industry. As Baltimore rebuilds the FSK Bridge and copes with the economic impact of the accident, the city will undoubtedly seek to ensure such a tragedy never occurs again.
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in Baltimore, the M/V DALI started to float again around 6:40 a.m. It was being moved by tugboats under good environmental conditions by 7:00 a.m., as per the USACE’s post on X late on Monday evening (India time).
As the Dali began moving, the USACE noted that the FSK Bridge was visible without the ship for the first time in several weeks.
Despite the ship being re-floated, the 20 Indian crew members are still aboard the vessel. This is more than 50 days after the accident in March which claimed the lives of six individuals who were working on the bridge at the time.
Dali collided with a pillar of the 50-year-old bridge, which was a major route for thousands of drivers each day. The crash caused the bridge to collapse, blocking the passage of all cargo ships waiting to continue their journeys after Dali.
The FBI has initiated a criminal investigation into the incident, alongside separate inquiries by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Coast Guard’s Marine Board of Investigation.
The 20 Indian members of the crew of Dali still remain on board the vessel, more than 50 days after the early morning maritime accident in the last week of March that claimed the lives of six men who were working on the bridge at the time. Dali hit a pillar of the 50-year-old bridge that served thousands of motorists every day. The collision brought the bridge and blocked the passage of all cargo ships waiting to be on their way after Dali.
