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Baltimore’s Key Bridge has collapsed into the water after it was hit by a container ship, according to local media reports.
Preliminary visuals on social media showed a giant cargo ship ramming into the bridge, causing the crash that brought it down, along with several cars using the key bridge in the early hours of Tuesday.
A large portion of the Francis Scott Key Bridge is now under water, as flight tracking website FlightRadar24 showed the Maryland State Police circling the site of the crash in a helicopter.
The 47-year-old Key Bridge has collapsed due to a “ship strike incident” and has been closed to traffic, the Maryland Transportation Authority said on X in a statement.
“All lanes closed both directions for incident on I-695 Key Bridge. Traffic is being detoured,” it said.
Emergency personnel are on the scene and rescue efforts are underway, said Baltimore mayor Brandon M Scott.
“I’m aware of and en route to the incident at the Key Bridge. I have been in contact with @BaltimoreFire Chief Wallace, @GovWesMoore @JohnnyOJr , and @AACoExec . Emergency personnel are on scene, and efforts are underway,” he wrote on X.
The collapse occurred at around 1.30am local time.
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