Warning of 'protracted' impact as bridge collapse brings Baltimore port to a halt

The scope of the bridge disaster in Baltimore widened yesterday as six construction workers who had been on the structure were presumed dead and investigators recovered the black box from the ship that had crashed into it, bringing one of the US's busiest ports to a grinding halt.

- Maya Yang 

Authorities were continuing their investigation into the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after the Singaporean-flagged container ship Dali crashed into it early on Tuesday.

Six members of a construction crew, all of whom appeared to be from Latin American countries, that was filling potholes on the bridge were missing after the incident and are presumed dead. Two people were rescued from the Patapsco River, with one hospitalised at the Cowley shock trauma centre in Baltimore before being discharged.

The transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, shared his condolences with the victims' families, saying: "Tragically, six people did lose their lives and a seventh was badly injured ... These were workers who went out to work on a night shift, repairing the road service while most of us slept." He also warned of "major and protracted impact to supply chains".

Baltimore is the ninth busiest port in the US and the busiest for car shipments. General Motors and Ford announced that they would reroute affected shipments, and Maersk, the shipping company that had chartered the Dali, said it was diverting shipments and offering to help clients book road transportation from other ports.