The vessel ‘Dali’, which crashed into and collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, has finally been refloated this week, eight weeks after the tragic incident.
The ship was moved “under favourable environmental conditions” according to the US Army Corps of Engineers, becoming the latest step in clearing key shipping routes.
The bridge collapsed when the vessel lost power and steering before veering into it on 26th March, killing six construction workers and blocking the port from the outside world.
Five tugboats and several other vessels moved the Dali approximately 2.5 miles to a nearby terminal, before it travels to the port of Norfolk in 4/6 weeks for repair. As the heavily damaged ship moved, debris and parts of roadway from the bridge were still visible on it.
Deep-draft vessels are now able to use a 400ft wide shipping channel to enter and exit Baltimore, but clearing work will continue until the channel is restored to its natural width of 700ft, and all debris is removed from the riverbed.
21 crew members have remained on board the vessel since the incident. Their phones have been confiscated by the FBI, who are continuing to investigate the collapse.
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