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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 a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.
Pic:  Harford County MD Fire & EMS/Reuters
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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.

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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.

Pic: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Baltimore bridge collapses after being hit by cargo ship, USA - 26 Mar 2024
The Francis Scott Key Bridge rests partially collapsed after a container ship ran into it in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, 26 March 2024.
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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.”

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Elon Musk says he’s created his own political party – the ‘America Party’

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Elon Musk says he's created his own political party - the 'America Party'

Elon Musk says he has created a new political party – the America Party –
after asking his followers if he should do so in an online poll.

It follows his public falling out with Republican President Donald Trump.

On Friday, the billionaire had asked his followers on X whether a new US political party should be created.

On Saturday evening he wrote on the same platform: “By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!

“When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy.

“Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.”

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Trump threatens to ‘put DOGE’ on Musk

The world’s richest man made the announcement just one day after President Trump signed a tax-cut and spending bill into law on Friday, which Musk had fiercely opposed.

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Musk had previously said we would form and fund a new political party to unseat lawmakers who supported the bill.

From bromance to bust-up

The Tesla boss backed Trump’s election campaign with more than a quarter of a billion dollars, later rewarded with a high profile role running the newly created department of government efficiency (DOGE).

But observers of the two men, both with huge wealth and reputations, wondered how long the bromance would last.

Elon Musk receives a golden key from U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office.
Pic: Reuters
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Donald Trump gave Musk a warm send-off in the Oval Office in May. Pic: Reuters

In May Musk left the role, still on good terms with Trump but criticising key parts of his legislative agenda.

After that, the attacks ramped up, with Musk slamming the sweeping tax and spending bill as a “disgusting abomination” and Trump hitting back in a barbed tit-for-tat.

Trump earlier this week threatened to cut off the billion-dollar federal subsidies that flow to Musk’s companies, and said he would even consider deporting him.

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Is this the most powerful Trump’s been?

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Is this the most powerful Trump's been?

👉 Follow Trump100 on your podcast app 👈

Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ has passed and he’s due to sign it into law on Independence Day. Mark Stone and David Blevins discuss how the bill will supercharge his presidency, despite its critics.

They also chat Gaza and Ukraine, as Donald Trump meets with freed Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander and talks to Vladimir Putin.

If you’ve got a question you’d like the Trump100 team to answer, you can email it to trump100@sky.uk.

You can also watch all episodes on our YouTube channel.

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At least 13 people confirmed dead and more than 20 missing from girls camp in Texas flooding

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At least 13 people confirmed dead and more than 20 missing from girls camp in Texas flooding

13 people have been killed in the US state of Texas after heavy rain caused flash flooding, according to local media reports.

Officials have also said more than 20 are missing from a girls’ camp in Texas.

As much as 10 inches (25 centimetres) of heavy rain fell in just a few hours overnight in central Kerr County, causing flash flooding of the Guadalupe River.

Judge Rob Kelly, the chief elected official in the county, confirmed fatalities from the flooding and dozens of water rescues so far.

A flood watch issued on Thursday afternoon estimated isolated amounts up to seven inches (17 centimetres) of rising water.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

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