Authorities suspend search for 6 missing workers after Baltimore bridge collapse

Authorities have suspended the search for six missing workers following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

All six workers are presumed dead, though the search will resume on Wednesday morning, the Associated Press reported.

The bridge collapsed following the collision of a container ship with one of its main columns around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The ship reported losing power prior the collision though the exact cause of the incident remain under investigation.

Video footage of the collapse showed the moment the ship collided with the bridge:

Mass Casualty event in Baltimore.

Francis Scott Key Bridge collapses after giant ship slams into pillar.

10+ vehicles on bridge fall hundreds of feet into water below.pic.twitter.com/zqW3929TTB

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) March 26, 2024

The Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (M.E.B.A.), the oldest American maritime labor union, in response, suggested that the industry needed to improve its operating standards and crewing practices to prevent comparable disasters.

"This unfortunate incident highlights the need for strong safety standards in the global maritime industry that fall short of those in the U.S. merchant marine," the union said. "While we continue to learn more about what happened on this tragic day, all global ship operators must avoid future accidents contributed by poor working and operating standards that utilize minimum crewing for profit at the expense of human life and safety."

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.