President Joe Biden has praised the swift response of 22 Indian-origin crew members aboard the ship 'Dali' after it collided with a bridge in Baltimore, preventing further casualties by alerting authorities with a mayday call.

The incident occurred around 1:30 am local time on March 26 when the container ship, Dali, hit a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse into the Patapsco River.

Thanks to the timely mayday call from the ship's crew, all traffic on the bridge was halted, potentially saving lives. However, tragically, six members of a nighttime construction crew working on the bridge are missing and presumed dead. Search efforts are ongoing to locate their bodies.

President Biden commended the crew's actions during a speech at the White House, highlighting how their alertness enabled authorities to close the bridge to traffic before the collision occurred, undoubtedly preventing further casualties.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore also lauded the crew's quick response, emphasizing that their alertness saved lives by allowing officials to stop traffic flow promptly.

Regarding casualties, all 22 crew members of the ship, including the two pilots, are reported safe, according to the Synergy Marine Group. However, eight members of a construction crew working on the bridge fell into the water, with only two surviving. Efforts to locate the missing individuals will resume on Wednesday morning.

Diplomatic sources suggest that among the missing are individuals from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. One identified individual is Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandova, a Honduran citizen.

As for the cause of the incident, Governor Moore confirmed that the container ship experienced a power loss before the collision. Both federal and state authorities consider the incident likely to be an accident, with the National Transportation Safety Board conducting an investigation.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge, a crucial transportation route, is now suspended, affecting local and international shipping operations. President Biden has called for government funding to rebuild the collapsed bridge and expedite the reopening of the port.

Providing details about the vessel 'Dali,' the Synergy Marine Group revealed that it has a capacity of 10,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit), with 4,679 TEU onboard. The ship is owned by Grace Ocean Private, with all 22 crew members being Indian nationals. The vessel was outbound from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapses After Collision with Cargo Ship"