Moments Before Key Bridge Collapse Revealed In New Transcripts

ANNAPOLIS, MD — New transcripts released by the National Transportation Safety Board reveal the Dali crew's activities in the moments leading up to the deadly collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore Harbor.

The 74-page report offers a glimpse at recordings from the day of the March 26, 2024, collision, retrieved by the NTSB from the container ship's voyage data recorder. The collapse killed six highway workers who were on the bridge at the time of the crash.

The summary begins around 2 p.m. the day before the collision. At 2:20 p.m., a series of alarms activated on the cargo ship's bridge. A short time later, the Dali’s chief officer and electronics technician reported the alarms were “nominal for an unspecified condition," but did not give any additional details.

Shortly before 5:50 p.m., the ship's master instructed the chief engineer to fill out an incident report about the alarms, adding "to not leave anything blank and "to not leave out any information."

Related:

• MD Bay Bridge At Higher Risk Of Ship Strikes Than New Bridges
• Truckers Face 'Roller Coaster Ride' Year After Key Bridge Collapse
• Traffic 'Hellscape' Remains Year After Key Bridge Collapse
• MDTA Faults Ship Owner For Key Bridge Collapse, Disputes NTSB Report

In the hours before the ship set sail, there was little activity on the Dali's bridge, the report says.

Around midnight, the pilots boarded the ship and reviewed prelaunch procedures. At 12:16 a.m., the Dali's pilot asked the master, “Captain, everything’s working?” The master replied, “Yeah, everything is in order."

Around 12:45 a.m., the first steering command was issued by the pilot.

At 1:24 a.m., multiple alarms activated on the ship's bridge and continued through the subsequent collapse of the Key Bridge. A minute later, the pilot asked, "Do we have steering?"

At 1:26 a.m., the pilot contacted a dispatcher and told them to shut down the Key Bridge. "I just lost steering," they said.

Three minutes later, an "enormous rumble" is heard on the recording as the ship struck the bridge. "Call the Coast Guard!" a pilot shouted. "The Key Bridge is down!" another yelled.

A few minutes later, the pilot says, “What did we do wrong?”

Read the complete transcript from the NTSB online.

According to a preliminary report released by the NTSB, the Dali suffered two electrical blackouts that led to major equipment failure hours before it struck the bridge. Officials wrote that the Dali had experienced electrical problems the day before the collision. In the hours before the ship left the Port of Baltimore on a voyage to Sri Lanka, the ship lost power twice, causing the vessel to lose propulsion and the ability to steer.

Related:

• Construction Firm Cited After 6 Workers Killed In Key Bridge Collapse
• Designs For Key Bridge Replacement Unveiled By MD Leaders
• MD Sues Owner, Manager Of Ship That Caused Key Bridge Collapse
• DOJ, Families Of 3 Workers Killed In Key Bridge Collapse File Lawsuits

According to officials, a mistake by a crew member working on a diesel engine part caused the first "in-port blackout." A second blackout in port was attributed to "insufficient fuel pressure," the report said.

The National Transportation Safety Board has not yet released its final report on the collapse, though officials said a loose cable in the ship’s electrical switchboard likely contributed to its power issues. Federal agents boarded the cargo ship Dali amid a criminal investigation last year.

• Get The Latest Local News (For Free!) With One Quick Tap