Florida governor offers help to Maryland in wake of Baltimore bridge collapse
Baltimore Key bridge collapses, search and rescue underway
A portion of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after it was struck by a large container ship early Tuesday morning, sending several vehicles into the water, authorities say. Rescuers were searching for at least 20 people who fell into the Patapsco River below after the large vessel apparently hit one of the supports of the bridge, causing the roadway above to break apart.
FLORIDA - Governor Ron DeSantis said Tuesday that Florida is willing to help Maryland in any way that's needed following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
The bridge was struck by a large container ship early Tuesday morning, which caused sections of the bridge to crumble and collapse into the water, along with people and vehicles, officials said. A search and rescue mission has been underway for hours.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Gov. DeSantis said he had directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management "to offer assistance to the State of Maryland, if needed, following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge."
"The State of Florida stands willing to help and our prayers are with the victims and first responders."
What happened to the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore?
The bridge collapsed early Tuesday morning after it was apparently struck by a large container ship, sending portions of the bridge, vehicles, and people into the water below.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore told reporters at a press conference that the ship's captain issued a "mayday" call moments before the crash, which allowed authorities to curb traffic on the bridge. He said the ship apparently lost power before it crashed into one of the bridge's support systems.
How many people are being searched for?
Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said two people had been rescued following the collapse. One was hospitalized and one was not. At least six others are still believed to be in the water. All eight were a part of a construction crew that was filling potholes, according to
"Never would you think that you would see, physically see, the Key Bridge tumble down like that. It looked like something out of an action movie," said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott at the update. He called the situation "an unthinkable tragedy," our sister station in D.C. reported.