Cargo Ship Crashes into Francis Scott Key Bridge; Rescue Efforts Underway

Baltimore City Fire Department spokesperson Kevin Cartwright told the Associate Press that “This is a dire emergency. Our focus right now is trying to rescue and recover these people.”

It’s believed that first responders are searching for up to 20 people. Cartwright called the collapsing of the bridge a “mass casualty multi agency incident.”

“Unfortunately, we understand that there are up to 20 individuals who may be in the Patapsco River as well as multiple vehicles,” Cartwright told the AP.

According to CNN, in a press conference, Baltimore Fire Department Chief James Wallace said at least two people have been rescued from the water so far. One was uninjured while another was in “very serious condition” as they were transferred to a local hospital.

The search for victims of this tragedy remains active.

What is known about the ship?

As ABC News reports, the container ship was a Singapore-flagged vessel that crashed into the bridge around 1:30 a.m. A tracking company known as MarineTraffic told ABC News that the ship was heading to Sri Lanka.

This is a developing report.