Baltimore Bridge Collapse: Dali's Black Box Reveals Timeline And Key Details

Federal investigators have successfully recovered the black box of the vessel involved in the collision with Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge. The data reveals a detailed minute-by-minute account leading up to the tragic incident.

In the early morning hours of March 26, the Dali container ship collided with the bridge after experiencing a power loss. The impact threw six members of a construction crew, who were working on the bridge to refill potholes, into the water. All six were presumed dead after hours of rescue efforts.

Two bodies were discovered in a submerged pickup truck in the Patapsco River on Wednesday.

The retrieval of the vessel’s voyage data recorder, or black box, by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is providing answers to important questions surrounding the fatal crash.

Information retrieved from the device has shed light on the events leading up to the ship's collision with the bridge.

Here's what we've gathered from the timeline so far:

Baltimore Bridge Collapse Timeline

12:39 am

The Dali container ship departed from Baltimore's Seagirt Marine Terminal.

01:07 am

Thirty minutes after the departure, the vessel entered Fort McHenry Channel.

01:24 am

Numerous alarms were recorded on the ship's bridge audio. Simultaneously, the voyage data recorder (VDR) ceased recording the vessel's system data but continued to capture audio from an alternate power source.

01:26 am

The VDR resumed recording the Dali's system data, capturing steering commands and rudder orders.

During the same minute, the pilot issued a very high-frequency radio call to nearby tugboats, seeking assistance for the distressed vessel. Data from the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) indicated that the pilot association dispatcher contacted the MDTA duty officer regarding a blackout.

01:27 am

The pilot instructed the Dali to drop the port anchor, along with other steering commands. Additionally, another high-frequency radio call was made, reporting the complete loss of power and the vessel's approach to the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

A transit authority duty officer promptly alerted two units stationed on each side of the bridge, already present at the scene, instructing them to halt traffic and close all lanes.

01:29 am

The Dali was traveling at a speed of nearly 8 miles per hour. According to the NTSB, the voyage data recorder (VDR) captured approximately 33 seconds of sound indicating a collision with the bridge.

Subsequently, the pilot contacted the US Coast Guard at the moment, reporting the collapse of the bridge. This marks the final piece of information provided by the NTSB from the black box.

02:25 am

The search and rescue operation commenced on Tuesday.

Shortly thereafter, two survivors were rescued from the river, while the search continued for the six missing construction workers on the bridge.

Officials said that the six people, all part of a construction crew employed by Brawner Builders, were engaged in pothole refilling when the incident unfolded.

Among the victims, family members identified Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval, 37, and Miguel Luna, 49.

07:30 pm

The Coast Guard announced the suspension of the search for the night, with the six men presumed dead. The operation transitioned into a recovery effort the following morning.

Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath conveyed, "I’d like to announce tonight that based on the length of time that we’ve gone in this search, the extensive search efforts we’ve put into it, the water temperature, that at this point we do not believe that we’re going to find any of these individuals still alive."

06:00 am

Divers initiated the search and recovery operation on Wednesday morning.

Just before 10:00 am

Agencies made a "tragic finding." Col. Roland Butler Jr. of Maryland State Police reported on Wednesday night that the bodies of two victims, Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, were found inside a submerged red pickup truck, resting in 20 feet of water.

Mr. Butler did not specify the origin of the two individuals, but he mentioned that those presumed deceased hail from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.

He further stated that the involved agencies were shifting from a "recovery mode" to a "salvage recovery operation."

Recent Update

In the meantime, the entire crew of 22 people from India, along with two local pilots, may remain stranded on board the vessel for the next two weeks. This situation arises due to a section of the Key Bridge collapsing onto the ship's rear, reported Daily Mail.