Local Pilots Were Commanding Ship In Bridge Collapse

CNN reports:

The container ship Dali, which had just left the Port of Baltimore and was en route to Colombo, Sri Lanka, was not being piloted by its own crew, but by local pilots who are used specifically to avoid accidents like the one that occurred early Tuesday morning.

“Pilots move ships in and out of the Port of Baltimore,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld at a news conference Tuesday. The pilots get on board just outside of local channels, and take the ships into ports. Outbound ships like this one take the ships from the ports out to open water.

This is true for ships navigating ports, channels and rivers throughout the nation. The idea is that local pilots are aware of hazards in each port, river and channel. It it too early to know the cause of Tuesday’s accident, Wiedefeld said.

The New York Times reports:

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a no-fly order in the area around the Key Bridge to allow rescue workers to continue to search for survivors from the air. Several helicopters have been flying over the bridge and its surroundings for several hours. The F.A.A. also warned people not to fly drones in the area.

The White House just issued the following statement: “The President has been briefed on the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore and the ongoing search and rescue efforts. He will continue to receive updates from his team throughout the day.”

A coast guard spokeswoman said rescuers were searching for survivors in the water, which is approximately 50 feet deep where the bridge was struck, according to Paul Wiedefeld, Maryland’s transportation secretary.

Video below is live.