5 days on, Indian crew still aboard ship that crashed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge; here's why

The 20 Indian crew members aboard the vessel involved in the collision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in United States' Baltimore are still on board, according to a report in the New York Times.

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First Published Mar 31, 2024, 11:20 AM IST | Last Updated Mar 31, 2024, 11:20 AM IST

The 20 Indian crew members aboard the vessel involved in the collision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in United States' Baltimore are still on board, according to a report in the New York Times. The crew are reportedly cooperating with officials and ensuring the ship's daily operations continue as usual. The crew members will remain on the ship until the mangled remains bridge is cleared, the NYT report stated.

The ship, named Dali, was en route to Sri Lanka with 4,700 containers when it lost power and collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge earlier this week. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that one of the Indian crew members received stitches at a Baltimore hospital before returning to the ship.

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The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that one of the Indian crew members was taken to a Baltimore hospital where he received stitches before returning to the ship.

Efforts to remove debris, free the ship, and reopen the channel to one of the busiest ports in the US are expected to take weeks. Governor of Maryland announced plans to begin debris removal on Saturday.

Chris James, an employee of a consulting firm assisting the ship's management company, Synergy Marine, stated to NYT that the crew has an adequate supply of food, water, and fuel to sustain the generators. However, there is no precise timeline for the ship's extraction from the wreckage.

Once investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Coast Guard are completed, crew members may be replaced before being sent home, as reported in NYT.

Also read: Revealed: Why did Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and how much will it cost to fix it?

The crew has been commended for promptly sending 'Mayday' call to local authorities, enabling them to halt much of the traffic before the accident occurred. Tragically, six individuals from a construction crew, who were repairing potholes on the bridge, lost their lives when the structure collapsed.

"Our information is that there are 21 crew members, of which 20 are Indians. All of them are in good shape, good health. One of them got injured slightly, needed to have some stitches, and stitches have been given. And, he has gone back to the ship," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said in response to a query during his weekly media briefing in Delhi.

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