On Monday, tugboats safely guided the damaged container ship Dali back to port, marking a significant step in recovering from the tragic collapse of a Baltimore bridge.
The ship’s bow was visibly marred by crushed shipping containers, fallen steel supports, and twisted concrete, remnants of the March 26 accident when it lost power and collided with a bridge support column. This incident claimed the lives of six construction workers and disrupted maritime traffic at the Port of Baltimore.
The vessel, refloated during high tide, was carefully maneuvered away from the disaster site by five tugboats. Its starboard side bore a large, gaping hole above the waterline due to the collision.
Tugboats escort the container (Via Tom Brook/Shutterstock)
The removal of the ship has left a noticeable gap in Baltimore’s skyline, once adorned by the bridge that was a proud symbol of the city’s maritime heritage. Crews have already cleared tons of tangled steel protruding from the water since the collapse.
The bodies of the victims, all Latino immigrants who came to the U.S. seeking job opportunities, have been recovered from the submerged wreckage. They were working overnight to repair potholes when the bridge collapsed.
Authorities noted that the Dali will travel slowly, moving at about 1 mph over the roughly 2.5-mile journey back to port, a stark contrast to its speed during the incident. It will undergo temporary repairs at the same marine terminal it departed from before the accident, followed by extensive repairs at a shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia, over the next several weeks.
