Baltimore bridge collapse: Ship had power blackouts before impact, report says – National [Video]

The cargo ship Dali experienced an electrical blackout about 10 hours before leaving the Port of Baltimore and yet again shortly before it slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge and killed six construction workers, federal investigators said Tuesday, providing the most detailed account yet of the tragedy.

The power outage occurred after a crewmember mistakenly closed an exhaust damper, causing the ship’s engine to stall, investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board said in their preliminary report. Shortly after leaving Baltimore, the ship crashed into one of the bridge’s supporting columns because another power outage caused it to lose steering at the exact worst moment.

The report provides new details about how the ship’s crew addressed the power issues it experienced while still docked in Baltimore. A full investigation could take a year or more, according to the safety board.

Testing of the ship’s fuel did not reveal any concerns related to its quality, according to the report.

After …