NTSB releases photos from the Baltimore bridge collapse investigation

BALTIMORE (March 27, 2024) — NTSB investigators on the cargo vessel Dali, which struck and collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024. (Photo: Peter Knudson/NTSB)

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released several photos from its investigation aboard the cargo vessel Dali, which struck and collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday.

The images show investigators surveying damage to the ship and launching a drone. Several NTSB officials are pictured viewing the collapsed bridge from different angles on the cargo ship.

At a press conference Wednesday, NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said the Singaporean-flagged cargo ship had been carrying 56 containers of hazardous materials on board, including corrosive flammable cells, lithium ion batteries, and other hazardous materials.

Some of the hazmat containers were breached, and a sheen was identified in the water that will be dealt with by the authorities.

Homendy said the voyage data recorder (VDR) has been recovered. NTSB investigator Marcel Muise said the VDR contains information from midnight to approximately 6 a.m.

Homendy said the investigation would be a “massive undertaking” that is expected to take one to two years. She added that the NTSB will not hesitate to issue urgent safety recommendations during that time frame. A preliminary report is expected in only two to four weeks.