Baltimore bridge collapse: Two possible causes for catastrophe
In an instant, a large section of the Francis Scott Key Bridge was gone – as dozens of its steel beams collapsed into the water after being hit by a cargo ship.
But how could such a catastrophe have happened?
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What do we know about bridge and the ship that hit it?
Emergency services are still at the scene and details about casualties are still emerging.
Sky News has spoken to a number of maritime and engineering experts to try and understand what might have happened – and what issues may have been at play.
The Singapore-flagged container ship ‘Dali’ after it collided with the bridge. Pic: Reuters
Was human error to blame?
Professor Helen Sampson, an expert at the Seafarers International Research Centre at Cardiff University, says the crash may have been caused by someone’s mistake.
She told Sky News: “Was there some sort of miscommunication or misunderstanding between the pilot and the crew? Or was there a pilot error?”
The time of day when the disaster occurred – around 1.30am local time – gives rise to concerns about tiredness, she added.
“The time makes me also wonder whether there was an element of fatigue at play…
“It’s almost always the case that we focus on human error at the individual level, it’s almost always the case that there’s a broader context which has resulted in that human error, like fatigue and the demands made on pilots or on crews.”
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‘They thought it was an earthquake’
What about a mechanical problem?
However, another maritime safety expert says the “most likely” cause of the crash was a failure in the ship’s machinery.
David McFarlane, director of Maritime Risk and Safety Consultants Ltd, told Sky News: “The first thing that springs to my mind is: was there a sudden fault with the ship’s engines or the steering gear?”
Mr McFarlane said a human error was less likely because of the number of people who would have been on duty.
“There should be no room for one-person errors because one of the other people should jump in and say ‘hang on’,” he said.
“The most likely cause of this is a failure in machinery or steering gear, but we just won’t know until the authorities have been on board. And even then, they’re unlikely to say what’s been going on for some considerable time.”
Prof Sampson said a mechanical failure with the steering gear or something similar would be the “most dramatic” explanation for what happened.
Officials have confirmed the ship that crashed into the bridge had issued a mayday call and had lost power.
The remains of the bridge on top of the ship. Pic: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Was there a design flaw in the bridge?
Opened in 1977, the Francis Scott Key Bridge is named after the poet who wrote the words to the Star Spangled Banner, the American national anthem.
Constructed from steel, it was 1.6 miles long and not dissimilar to some bridges in the UK, one expert told Sky News.
Julian Carter, a structural and civil engineering expert, said these structures are simple in concept – but “very weak” at certain points.
“It’s what we call a continuous structure every little piece is connected to another – and unfortunately it’s a catastrophic collapse.”
Read more: What do we know so far about bridge collapse?
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Professor Barbara Rossi, an expert in engineering science at the University of Oxford, said the impacting force of the cargo ship must have been “immense” to lead to the collapse of the concrete structures underpinning the bridge.
“We should not speculate around if such huge impact forces should have been taken into account at the design stage,” she added.
There has also been discussion about whether “dolphins” (steel structures embedded in the seabed to stop or divert a ship) or artificial islands may have been inadequate.
Bridge designer Robert Benaim said: “I do not know what the arrangements were for this bridge but major bridges over shipping lanes must have substantial protection for piers or columns.”
He added: “If piers are not protected adequately then they are vulnerable to ship collision. Clearly the protection of the piers in this instance was inadequate. A pier or column of a bridge could never resist the impact of a large ship. They must be protected from collision.”
US
Migrants in shackles led on to US military plane – as Mexico refuses to accept deportation flight
US military aircraft have started flying detained migrants out of America on the orders of Donald Trump, as Mexico refused a request from his administration to allow a deportation plane to land in the country.
It comes as the White House released images of men whose hands and ankles were shackled being led on to a plane.
Mr Trump‘s press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted the photos on X and declared: “Deportation flights have begun.”
She said Mr Trump was “sending a strong and clear message to the entire world: if you illegally enter the United States of America, you will face severe consequences”.
Two US military aircraft, each carrying around 80 migrants, flew from America to Guatemala on Friday.
One C-17 reportedly took off from Biggs Army Air Field in Texas, while another C-17 departed from Tucson in Arizona.
But a plan to have another C-17 transport aircraft land in Mexico foundered after the country denied permission.
It was unclear why permission to land was denied.
Mexico’s foreign ministry said the country had a “very great relationship” with the US and cooperated on issues such as immigration.
‘Putting an end to illegal migration’
It was the first time in recent memory that American military aircraft were being used to fly migrants out of the US, according to an official.
Such planes have in the past been used to relocate people from one country to another, including in 2021 during the US’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
“Guatemala and the United States are committed to putting an end to illegal migration and strengthening border security. Starting with two flights today,” the US State Department said.
Pic: X/PressSec
On Instagram, Guatemalan vice president Karin Herrera’s office posted a video of a military plane landing in Guatemala.
A caption said: “The [Guatemalan government] remains committed to protecting the integrity of migrants. The vice presidency will continue to verify that the reception of the returnees is in a dignified and safe manner.”
Some 79 Guatemalans returned, all of whom were adults, including 31 women and 48 men, the Guatemalan Migration Institute wrote.
The Pentagon has said the US military would provide flights for the deportations of more than 5,000 immigrants held by US authorities in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California.
Read more:
Migrants stay home as people live in fear of mass deportation threats
Trump says January 6 attacks on police were ‘minor incidents’
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On his first day in the Oval Office, Mr Trump declared illegal immigration a national emergency, and tasked his military with helping to boost security at the Mexico border.
The president has promised the biggest deportation operation in US history, with his new border czar, Tom Homan, saying he’ll target “the worst, first”.
His executive order on 20 January told the Pentagon to send as many troops as needed to obtain “complete operational control of the southern border of the United States”.
‘Hundreds of US soldiers to Mexican border’
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Donald Trump’s first acts as new president
The Trump administration said earlier this week the US military would be sending 1,500 additional active-duty troops to the Mexican border. A second tranche of troops could be deployed as soon as next week.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people have been arrested across the US by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in places such as Buffalo, New York, Chicago, St Paul, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Denver.
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Trump deportation threats spark fear
‘Daily ICE arrests almost double’
Of the 538 arrests on Thursday, 373 were for criminal allegations and 165 were for non-criminal reasons.
According to the most recent data, the 538 figure was almost double ICE’s daily average of 282 in September 2024.
The Trump administration has said its priority is to arrest migrants with criminal backgrounds. The Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday it would allow ICE to arrest undocumented people at places such as schools and churches, which was barred under previous administrations.
“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” the department said.
Many of the ICE actions were not unusual. Similar deportation flights also took place under the Biden administration, though not using military planes.
NBC News reports that New Jersey officials and immigrant rights supporters have criticised federal immigration authorities for carrying out a workplace raid on a small business in the city of Newark without a warrant.
In a news conference, Mayor Ras Baraka said several agents with ICE entered the back of the business, arrested three undocumented workers, and detained and questioned employees who are US citizens.
“People were fingerprinted. Pictures of their IDs and faces were taken there,” the Democrat mayor said. “I was appalled, upset, angry that this would happen here in this state, in this country, that this would be allowed.”
US
Pete Hegseth confirmed as Donald Trump’s defence secretary after JD Vance casts tie-breaking vote
US military aircraft have started flying detained migrants out of America on the orders of President Donald Trump.
It comes as the White House released images of men whose hands and ankles were shackled being led on to a plane.
Mr Trump‘s press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted the photos on X and declared: “Deportation flights have begun.”
She said Mr Trump was “sending a strong and clear message to the entire world: if you illegally enter the United States of America, you will face severe consequences”.
It was the first time in recent memory that American military aircraft were being used to fly migrants out of the US, according to an official.
Such planes have in the past been used to relocate people from one country to another, including in 2021 during the United States’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
On Friday, two military aircraft, each carrying about 80 migrants, flew from America to Guatemala, a US official said.
One C-17 reportedly took off from Biggs Army Air Field in Texas, while another C-17 departed from Tucson in Arizona.
“Guatemala and the United States are committed to putting an end to illegal migration and strengthening border security. Starting with two flights today,” the US State Department said.
Pic: X/PressSec
On Instagram, the Guatemalan vice president Karin Herrera’s office posted a video of a military plane landing in Guatemala.
A caption said: “The @guatemalagob [Guatemalan government] remains committed to protecting the integrity of migrants. The vice presidency will continue to verify that the reception of the returnees is in a dignified and safe manner.”
Some 79 Guatemalans returned, all of whom were adults, including 31 women and 48 men, the Guatemalan Migration Institute wrote.
‘Mexico denies US flight access to land’
Another flight which was supposed to fly to Mexico did not take off after Mexican authorities denied it access to land, officials said, according to NBC News.
The Pentagon has said the US military would provide flights for the deportations of more than 5,000 immigrants held by US authorities in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California.
Read more:
Migrants stay home as people live in fear of mass deportation threats
Trump says January 6 attacks on police were ‘minor incidents’
👉 Follow Trump 100 on your podcast app 👈
On his first day in the Oval Office, Mr Trump declared illegal immigration a national emergency, and tasked his military with helping to boost security at the Mexico border.
The president has promised the biggest deportation operation in US history, with his new border czar, Tom Homan, saying he’ll target “the worst, first”.
His executive order on 20 January told the Pentagon to send as many troops as needed to obtain “complete operational control of the southern border of the United States”.
‘Hundreds of US soldiers to Mexican border’
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Donald Trump’s first acts as new president
The Trump administration said earlier this week the US military would be sending 1,500 additional active-duty troops to the Mexican border. A second tranche of troops could be deployed as soon as next week.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people have been arrested across the US by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in places such as Buffalo, New York, Chicago, St Paul, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Denver.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Trump deportation threats spark fear
‘Daily ICE arrests almost double’
Of the 538 arrests on Thursday, 373 were for criminal allegations and 165 were for non-criminal reasons.
According to the most recent data, the 538 figure was almost double ICE’s daily average of 282 in September 2024.
The Trump administration has said its priority is to arrest migrants with criminal backgrounds. The Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday it would allow ICE to arrest undocumented people at places such as schools and churches, which was barred under previous administrations.
“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” the department said.
Many of the ICE actions were not unusual. Similar deportation flights also took place under the Biden administration, though not using military planes.
NBC News reports that New Jersey officials and immigrant rights supporters have criticised federal immigration authorities for carrying out a workplace raid on a small business in the city of Newark without a warrant.
In a news conference, Mayor Ras Baraka said several agents with ICE entered the back of the business, arrested three undocumented workers, and detained and questioned employees who are US citizens.
“People were fingerprinted. Pictures of their IDs and faces were taken there,” the Democrat mayor said. “I was appalled, upset, angry that this would happen here in this state, in this country, that this would be allowed.”
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