The cargo ship Dali embarked from Baltimore to Virginia on Monday, almost three months after it encountered a power loss and collided with a support column of the Francis Scott Key bridge, leading to the collapse of the bridge.
The 984-foot Dali set off with four tugboats around 8:30 a.m. and is en route to Norfolk, Virginia, for the removal of the remaining containers on the ship and additional repairs.
The journey to Norfolk is estimated to take between 16 and 20 hours.
Shortly after departing from the Port of Baltimore in early March, the ship lost power and propulsion, crashing into a bridge column, resulting in the death of six construction workers.
On May 20, the Dali was refloated and towed back to port after being stuck for almost two months with a damaged bow amid the wreckage.
An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that the ship experienced two power outages before leaving the port. Prior to the bridge collapse, it experienced another power loss and deviated from its course. The cause of these electrical failures is still under investigation by the agency.
The FBI has also initiated a criminal investigation.
Last week, the crew members of the Dali were permitted to return home under a federal judge’s agreement. These crew members had been unable to leave the U.S. since the accident. As per the agreement, they are allowed to go home but must be available for depositions.
The collapse has affected thousands of workers and businesses in the area, leading local and state officials to prioritize the reopening of the port and restoring normal traffic to mitigate the economic consequences.
Officials aim to reconstruct the bridge by 2028.
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