A cargo ship crashed into one of two main supports for the 2.5km long bridge at around 1:30AM EDT.

There is an ongoing search and rescue effort and authorities are looking for upwards of seven people.

  • amigan@lemmy.dynatron.meEnglish
    34·
    3 个月前

    Two pilots were on board. Apparently there were issues with the ship’s propulsion system at last inspection. My money is on a mechanical issue; if not, this was a monumental fuck up by the harbor pilots and/or the crew.

    edit: lol, I am pleased with how this comment has aged. Yes, it was a power loss. Quick thinking and action saved lives. Bravo. Now it remains to be seen whether deferred maintenance or similar negligence were to blame; if so, people need to pay up.

    • TragicNotCute@lemmy.worldEnglish
      8·
      3 个月前

      They evidently called Mayday before colliding. But if I was asleep at the wheel and woke up to see a bridge coming at me, I’d probably let yell Mayday too.

    • Firenz@lemmy.worldEnglish
      51·
      3 个月前

      Why no tug boats to assist the vessel? I find it odd that the ship was allowed to depart on its own.

      • deadbeef79000@lemmy.nzEnglish
        7·
        3 个月前

        I assume it was already under way (or whatever).

        I watch commercial shipping all day out my office window, almost all tugs are used to just move the ship away from the wharf, something on the order of a boat-length.

        I don’t know what the layout of the harbour in this incident, but the boat could have been kilometres from the wharf where it docked.

        • Firenz@lemmy.worldEnglish
          3·
          3 个月前

          Thanks for replying. I’m looking at it from the perspective of proximity to critical infrastructure, but your reply makes plenty of sense. It does make incidents like this more a case of when and not if.

          I’m not from the region (let alone the same country) but I would think this is going to have a significant impact on the port operations, assuming it can continue to operate.

        • Neuromancer@lemm.eeEnglish
          27·
          3 个月前

          I watch ships in Astoria. I never see tugboats. The ship operate under theiR own power

          • deadbeef79000@lemmy.nzEnglish
            1·
            3 个月前

            I’m reasonably sure it’s up to the harbour master of the port in question, or whatever governing body in whichever jurisdiction applies.

            I imagine every port in the world has its own distinct set of regulations.

  • Rapidcreek@lemmy.worldEnglish
    104·
    3 个月前

    A cascading failure event. Luckily, there is already infrastructure money, so we don’t have to watch Congress dithering.