Ship leaves port three months after Baltimore bridge crash

By Ana Faguy, BBC News, Washington

The cargo ship that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore has left the city’s port almost three months after crashing.

The 948ft (289m) Dali was aided by four tugboats on Monday morning as it travelled to Norfolk in Virginia. The trip is expected to take 16-20 hours.

Six repair workers were killed on the bridge when the ship crashed on 26 March. The Port of Baltimore shipping channel was not fully re-opened until June, following the removal of 50,000 tones of wreckage and the relocation of the Dali to port.

The crew of 21, who are mostly Indian, had been stuck on the ship as it languished in the channel. Some of that number are due to return home next week.

The National Transportation Safety Board said last month that the Dali lost power several times before it hit the bridge.

US Coast Guard and the FBI are investigating the crash.

Officials expect the bridge will be rebuilt by 2028 at a cost of around US$1.9b (NZ$3.1b).

– BBC