Investigators are currently focused on determining the causes behind the collision of a massive cargo ship with a key Baltimore bridge and assessing whether any preventative measures could have potentially averted the bridge collapse. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is spearheading the investigation, with NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy leading the efforts.
The NTSB's investigative work includes boarding the ship overnight to retrieve the vessel's recorder or black box, which will be crucial in establishing a timeline leading up to the collision. Reports suggesting power issues and loss of propulsion prior to the impact will be verified through this data. A team of 24 investigators is scheduled to revisit the vessel to gather perishable evidence, such as photographs of the ship, to aid in the investigation.
Interviews with the crew of the cargo ship are also on the agenda, with a specialized team tasked with identifying the individuals responsible for controlling the vessel and those present on the ship's bridge at the time of the incident. In addition to examining the ship, the NTSB will closely scrutinize the structure of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and the debris that fell into the water or onto the ship during the collision.
The NTSB's assessment will extend to evaluating whether additional protective measures, such as 'dolphins' and 'fenders,' should have been in place to prevent the extensive damage caused by the collision. These structures are designed to safeguard bridges from such catastrophic events, and their absence will be a focal point of the investigation.
