SINGAPORE — The Singapore-registered vessel that collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the United States had experienced a "momentary loss of propulsion" just prior to the collision, said the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). 

As a result, the vessel, managed by ship management company Synergy Marine, was "unable to maintain the desired heading" and collided with the bridge on Tuesday (March 26) at about 1.30pm Singapore time.

In the latest update, issued approximately five hours after MPA said it was investigating the collision, the authority said that investigators from the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau and MPA are travelling to Baltimore, Maryland, where the bridge is located. 

"The vessel was reported to have dropped its anchors as part of the vessel’s emergency procedures prior to its impact with the bridge. The vessel was under pilotage at the time of the incident," said MPA. 

It added that the ship named Dali, a 95,000-gigatonne container vessel operating with 22 crew on board at the time of the incident, is currently holding onto its position at the site of the collision and is in a stable condition.

Huge spans of the 2.57km bridge collapsed, sending vehicles plunging into the Patapsco River. 

Earlier, MPA said it will investigate the collision and fully cooperate with the US Coast Guard in its investigations. 

According to a statement by Synergy Marine, the vessel had hit a pillar of the bridge while under pilotage with two pilots onboard. 

"All crew members, including the two pilots, have been accounted for, and there are no reports of any injuries. There has also been no pollution."

TODAY has also reached out to Grace Ocean, the registered owner of the vessel, for further details. 

SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSION ONGOING

The search for survivors is ongoing. Reuters reports that as many as 20 people, along with "numerous vehicles and possibly a tractor-trailer or a vehicle as large as a tractor-trailer", could be in the river. 

The operation is expected to last for "many days", said Mr Kevin Cartwright, spokesperson for Baltimore City Fire Department.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has declared a state of emergency. In a statement, he said his office was working with an inter-agency team to deploy federal resources to assist with operations. 

Footages of the collision have gone viral on social media. A senior journalist shared a video on X (formerly Twitter), depicting that Dali had suffered two power outages before eventually striking one of the bridge's support pillars. 

In a matter of seconds, the towering structure crumbled, with the collapse unfolding in stages, as each segment sagged precariously before plunging into the river. Vehicles were sent crashing down into the water and the lights went out. 

According to data from vessel tracking website Vessel Finder, the ship had a prior incident in 2016 in Antwerp, Belgium. 

During the Antwerp incident, the vessel's bow allegedly scraped against the quay upon departure from port, resulting in substantial damage. Authorities reportedly detained the vessel following the incident.

Weather conditions were reportedly favourable during the Antwerp collision. Responsibility for the incident was attributed to the ship's master and pilot on board. There were no reported injuries.