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Even from miles away, the destruction of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge is a jarring visual: Chunks of steel jut above the water like metallic icebergs and twisted gray beams protrude as ‘Dali’, the 985-foot-long cargo ship that struck the bridge on March 26 resulting in the death of six people, remains lodged in the wreckage.
Less visible, however, are the 22 crew members from India – their timely alarm saved many more lives – still stuck on the ship.While keeping the vessel operable, they are answering a deluge of questions from officials probing the catastrophe. One thing is certain: they are not going to dock at the port soon as they must wait for enough debris to be cleared to free the ship and reopen the channel to one of the busiest ports in US.
Still no timeline for when ship might be extracted from US bridge wreckage
Little is publicly known about the 22 Indian crew members other than that they are seafarers who embarked on a journey aboard ‘Dali’, the cargo ship that was on its way to Sri Lanka carrying 4,700 shipping containers, when it lost power and struck Baltimore’s Key Bridge on March 26, causing the structure to collapse.
Since the accident, the crew members have found themselves in an unexpected spotlight. While officials investigate what could have caused the tragedy, a question has emerged this past week: What could the crew, who have limited access to the outside world, be going through right now?
“They must feel this weight of responsibility that they couldn’t stop it from happening,” said Joshua Messick, the executive director of the Baltimore International Seafarers’ Center, a religious nonprofit that seeks to protect the rights of mariners.
Even so, officials have praised the crew’s swift mayday message that was transmitted over the radio as the ship lost power Tuesday. Before the Dali struck the bridge, traveling at a rapid 8 knots, the mayday call helped police officers stop traffic from heading onto the bridge, most likely saving many lives, authorities said. A local harbour pilot with more than 10 years of experience was onboard, as well as an apprentice pilot in training.
As the ship remains stuck in the Port of Baltimore, where it may remain for weeks, the lives of the crew members have entered an uncertain phase. But one thing is certain: They will no longer cruise through the sea around South Africa toward their destination in Sri Lanka anytime soon.
So, for now, crew members are most likely working a grueling schedule to maintain the ship that is similar to the one they would have had if they were out at sea. The difference, though, is that they are in an immobile state as the eyes of the world fixate on them, experts said.
“The captain of the vessel and the crew have a duty to the ship,” said Stephen Frailey, a partner at Pacific Maritime Group, which helps with marine salvage and wreck removal.
According to Chris James, who works for a consulting firm assisting the ship’s management company, Synergy Marine, the crew members have ample supplies of food and water, as well as plenty of fuel to keep the generators going. Indeed, when Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, went onboard the ship this past week, she observed the cook cooking. “It smelled very good,” she said.
But there is still no exact timeline for when the ship might be extracted from the wreckage, James said. Once the NTSB and the Coast Guard finish their investigations, he said, “we’ll look at potentially swapping the crew out and getting them home.”
India, the home country of the crew members, is one of the world’s largest hubs for seafarers, according to John A. Konrad, a ship captain and CEO of gCaptain, a maritime and offshore industry news website. Though Indian captains and engineers are paid less than their American counterparts, Konrad said, they make a decent living when they work for three or more months out of the year at sea.
Working on a cargo ship, he said, is a 24-hour ordeal with no weekends off: Every day, decks are checked for maintenance and safety, cooks and cleaners serve the other members, and workers in the engine room keep things on track.
Cargo ship crew members do have some leisurely activities available to them onboard, though, such as video game breaks in cabins, workouts in gyms, table tennis sessions and movie nights. The Dali crew has at least a TV, magazines and books onboard, said Andrew Middleton, who runs Apostleship of the Sea, a program that ministers to sailors coming through the port.
Clistan Joy Sequeira, an Indian seafarer who was not on the Dali but who docked in Baltimore from another cargo ship Friday, said in an interview that he feared the repercussions that the bridge collapse could have on his industry and his country.
“I’m scared that because this crew is Indian, our international image will suffer,” said Sequeira, 31. “Maybe we lose jobs.”
Some in Baltimore’s port community have had some contact with the Dali crew, albeit brief, through third parties or WhatsApp. Messick said he sent the crew two Wi-Fi hot spots Friday because they did not have internet onboard.
Middleton said he had been keeping in touch with two crew members, reminding them that “we’re here for them.” “When I’ve asked how they’re doing, their answers range from ‘good’ to ‘great,'” he said. “So, by their own accounts, they’re okay.”
Messick said he had also sent a care package to the crew through a salvage company helping with operations. In the package were candy, home-baked muffins from a concerned local and thank-you cards from children.
With so many questions still unanswered about the crew members’ next steps, Messick said he was eager to provide them with trauma care and emotional support. On Friday, he wrote a letter to the captain, which was delivered by another vessel.
“We’re here to support you,” it read.
Less visible, however, are the 22 crew members from India – their timely alarm saved many more lives – still stuck on the ship.While keeping the vessel operable, they are answering a deluge of questions from officials probing the catastrophe. One thing is certain: they are not going to dock at the port soon as they must wait for enough debris to be cleared to free the ship and reopen the channel to one of the busiest ports in US.
Still no timeline for when ship might be extracted from US bridge wreckage
Little is publicly known about the 22 Indian crew members other than that they are seafarers who embarked on a journey aboard ‘Dali’, the cargo ship that was on its way to Sri Lanka carrying 4,700 shipping containers, when it lost power and struck Baltimore’s Key Bridge on March 26, causing the structure to collapse.
Since the accident, the crew members have found themselves in an unexpected spotlight. While officials investigate what could have caused the tragedy, a question has emerged this past week: What could the crew, who have limited access to the outside world, be going through right now?
“They must feel this weight of responsibility that they couldn’t stop it from happening,” said Joshua Messick, the executive director of the Baltimore International Seafarers’ Center, a religious nonprofit that seeks to protect the rights of mariners.
Even so, officials have praised the crew’s swift mayday message that was transmitted over the radio as the ship lost power Tuesday. Before the Dali struck the bridge, traveling at a rapid 8 knots, the mayday call helped police officers stop traffic from heading onto the bridge, most likely saving many lives, authorities said. A local harbour pilot with more than 10 years of experience was onboard, as well as an apprentice pilot in training.
As the ship remains stuck in the Port of Baltimore, where it may remain for weeks, the lives of the crew members have entered an uncertain phase. But one thing is certain: They will no longer cruise through the sea around South Africa toward their destination in Sri Lanka anytime soon.
So, for now, crew members are most likely working a grueling schedule to maintain the ship that is similar to the one they would have had if they were out at sea. The difference, though, is that they are in an immobile state as the eyes of the world fixate on them, experts said.
“The captain of the vessel and the crew have a duty to the ship,” said Stephen Frailey, a partner at Pacific Maritime Group, which helps with marine salvage and wreck removal.
According to Chris James, who works for a consulting firm assisting the ship’s management company, Synergy Marine, the crew members have ample supplies of food and water, as well as plenty of fuel to keep the generators going. Indeed, when Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, went onboard the ship this past week, she observed the cook cooking. “It smelled very good,” she said.
But there is still no exact timeline for when the ship might be extracted from the wreckage, James said. Once the NTSB and the Coast Guard finish their investigations, he said, “we’ll look at potentially swapping the crew out and getting them home.”
India, the home country of the crew members, is one of the world’s largest hubs for seafarers, according to John A. Konrad, a ship captain and CEO of gCaptain, a maritime and offshore industry news website. Though Indian captains and engineers are paid less than their American counterparts, Konrad said, they make a decent living when they work for three or more months out of the year at sea.
Working on a cargo ship, he said, is a 24-hour ordeal with no weekends off: Every day, decks are checked for maintenance and safety, cooks and cleaners serve the other members, and workers in the engine room keep things on track.
Cargo ship crew members do have some leisurely activities available to them onboard, though, such as video game breaks in cabins, workouts in gyms, table tennis sessions and movie nights. The Dali crew has at least a TV, magazines and books onboard, said Andrew Middleton, who runs Apostleship of the Sea, a program that ministers to sailors coming through the port.
Clistan Joy Sequeira, an Indian seafarer who was not on the Dali but who docked in Baltimore from another cargo ship Friday, said in an interview that he feared the repercussions that the bridge collapse could have on his industry and his country.
“I’m scared that because this crew is Indian, our international image will suffer,” said Sequeira, 31. “Maybe we lose jobs.”
Some in Baltimore’s port community have had some contact with the Dali crew, albeit brief, through third parties or WhatsApp. Messick said he sent the crew two Wi-Fi hot spots Friday because they did not have internet onboard.
Middleton said he had been keeping in touch with two crew members, reminding them that “we’re here for them.” “When I’ve asked how they’re doing, their answers range from ‘good’ to ‘great,'” he said. “So, by their own accounts, they’re okay.”
Messick said he had also sent a care package to the crew through a salvage company helping with operations. In the package were candy, home-baked muffins from a concerned local and thank-you cards from children.
With so many questions still unanswered about the crew members’ next steps, Messick said he was eager to provide them with trauma care and emotional support. On Friday, he wrote a letter to the captain, which was delivered by another vessel.
“We’re here to support you,” it read.
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