Baltimore accident: Embassy in touch with Indians onboard ship, says MEA

There are 20 Indians onboard the cargo ship which hit a bridge in Baltimore in the US a few days ago and the Indian Embassy is in close touch with them and the local authorities, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

The 2.6-km-long, four-lane Francis Scott Key Bridge over the Patapsco River in Baltimore, came crashing down after the 984-foot ship 'Dali' collided against it in the early hours of Tuesday.

"Our information is that there are 21 crew members, of which 20 are Indians. All of them are in good shape, good health. One of them got injured slightly, needed to have some stitches, and stitches have been given. And, he has gone back to the ship," MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to a query during his weekly media briefing here.

He also said the Indian Embassy in the US is in "close touch with the Indians onboard the ship and also local authorities in this matter".

The visuals of the collapse incident caught on camera were widely shared on TV channels and social media platforms.

Several vehicles were crossing the bridge when it collapsed after the container ship collided with one of its supports. Officials said the Singapore-flagged ship suffered a "power issue" and issued a distress call moments before the crash.

US President Joe Biden, in remarks at the White House, has said the alert sent by the ship's crew before the collision saved lives.

Meanwhile, US authorities have begun interviewing personnel, including Indian crew members, onboard the crippled container ship.

Shipping company Synergy Group, which manages 'Dali', said in a statement on Thursday that the US agency National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) boarded the vessel on Wednesday and collected documents, voyage data recorder extracts, and other evidence as part of their investigation.

"The NTSB also began interviewing crew members. We will continue to cooperate with investigators throughout this process," Synergy said.

Dali's owners Grace Ocean Pte Ltd and Synergy had confirmed the safety of all crew members and two pilots aboard the vessel. They, however, reported one minor injury and said the injured crew member had been treated and discharged from the hospital.

Following the incident, the Indian Embassy in Washington DC had said in a post on X that it condoles the "unfortunate accident" in Baltimore.

It had also said the Embassy has created a dedicated hotline for any Indian citizens who may be affected or require assistance due to the tragedy.

Six persons, who were part of a construction crew repairing potholes on the Francis Scott Key Bridge when the collision occurred in the early hours of March 26, are presumed dead.

Divers recovered the bodies of two of the construction workers from a red pickup truck found submerged in the Patapsco River and the search is on for the remaining four victims.