Maryland Governor, Wes Moore, has said the container ship that rammed into the Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in the United States on Tuesday lost power.
Reports revealed that eight people were on the bridge when it collapsed, but only two have been rescued by emergency responders.
Moore further said the search has continued for the six US residents still missing, according to BBC.
The bridge snapped and plunged into the Patapsco River at around 01:30 ET (05:30 GMT) along with vehicles and people, when the cargo ship collided with it.
“We’re thankful that between the ‘mayday’ and collapse that, that we had officials who were able to-to begin the stop the flow of traffic so more cars were not up on the bridge,” Moore said.
Footage showed the collapse of the 1.6-mile-long, four-lane bridge after it was hit by the vessel.
The bridge extended over the Patapsco River and serves as the outermost crossing of the Baltimore harbor. It is an essential link of Interstate-695, or the Baltimore Beltway.
Meanwhile, Maryland Transportation Secretary, Paul Wiedefeld said authorities are looking for alternative transport options for the approximately 35,000 people who use the bridge every day.
The report added that all of the victims are believed to be part of a construction crew that was repairing potholes at the time the bridge collapsed.
Speaking the ship, Moore said it suffered a “power issue” and issued a distress call moments before the crash.
The governor stated that the bridge will be rebuilt “in a way that remembers the people this tragedy has impacted”.
US President Joe Biden has said his government will cover the “entire cost” of rebuilding the bridge and getting the port functioning again.
