Newly Released Transcript From Dali Reveals Chilling Moments Before It Hit The Key Bridge

A newly released 74-page audio transcript from the containership Dali reveals a chilling minute-by-minute account of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore in March 2024.

In the early hours of March 26, 2024, the Singapore-flagged Dali was preparing to depart from the Port of Baltimore with its destination set for Sri Lanka. Everything appeared normal. The two Maryland-based pilots on board, a senior and a trainee, were having a light conversation with the crew. They discussed mundane topics like home life, coffee preferences, and upcoming voyage delays due to piracy threats in the Red Sea.

At 12:16 a.m., the senior pilot asked the vessel’s master if everything was working. The captain responded, “Yeah, everything is in order.” But according to later investigation records and lawsuits, that statement was misleading.

Ten hours before departure, the Dali had already suffered two electrical blackouts while docked at Seagirt Marine Terminal. The captain had instructed the chief engineer to prepare a detailed report for the shipping company. However, the power failures were not reported to the U.S. Coast Guard, nor were the pilots informed, which was legally required.

At approximately 1:24 a.m., alarms sounded on the ship. The Dali lost power again. The training pilot muttered, “Uh oh,” while the senior pilot began frantically asking if the vessel still had steering control.

Crew members tried to respond quickly. The bosun was ordered forward to drop anchor, and the pilot contacted the bridge control to close the Key Bridge to traffic. Despite these efforts, the ship remained on a collision course.

At 1:26 a.m., the pilot radioed for help and inquired whether the Bridget McAllister, one of the tugs that had assisted earlier, was nearby. But the tugboats had already detached minutes earlier and were too far to return in time.

Video Credits: Voice of America/YouTube

By 1:27 a.m., the training pilot made a “security call” on the radio: “Container ship Dali has lost power. Approaching the Key Bridge… Dali.” Around 1:28:59 a.m., the pilot gave a last-minute command for “full bow thruster to port,” only to be told, “No. It’s not working.”

Seconds later, an “enormous rumble” was recorded as the Dali slammed into a main support column of the Key Bridge. The final recorded words before the bridge collapse were the pilot and trainee shouting expletives. Then, the trainee was heard saying, “The Key Bridge is down,” followed by a nervous laugh and the words, “Now this is a problem.”

Six construction workers who were repairing potholes on the bridge were killed in the collapse. The Dali’s pilots immediately contacted the Coast Guard and other emergency services. They also began trying to understand what went wrong.

“I called [the pilot dispatcher] when we started to drift,” the pilot said during the transcript. “But we had good speed. We weren’t going crazy… everything was under control.” In the moments that followed, they were heard questioning, “Uh, what did we do wrong?”

The State of Maryland and the U.S. Department of Justice filed claims against Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Pte. Ltd., the vessel’s owner and operator, accusing them of negligence. According to court filings, the power failures on March 25, the day before the collision, were never corrected or reported. The U.S. government described the Dali as “abjectly unseaworthy” and said the electrical system was “jury-rigged.”

Maryland also argued that the ship’s master falsely assured the pilots that the vessel was fully operational, despite knowing about the earlier blackouts. The captain’s misleading statement has now become the main focus.

Video Credits: Associated Press/YouTube

After the disaster, the NTSB interviewed key crew members, including second officer Alan Babu and helmsman Maragasseri Rajan. Babu recalled waking up from a nap earlier on March 25 when the Dali experienced its first blackout at the dock. He also described witnessing the bridge collapse in front of him as he climbed the stairs to the bridge during the final minutes.

He later questioned if the crew should have dropped the anchor sooner to possibly prevent the impact. Rajan, however, refrained from speculating and said he had no opinion.

The ship’s former chief engineer, Dhurai Balaji, was also interviewed. He estimated that in his 10 years working on large ships, he had seen four to five blackout events. He confirmed that he handed over responsibilities to the Dali’s current chief engineer, whom he believed was qualified and had experience with similar vessels.

The crew members have remained in Baltimore under the watch of the U.S. Department of Justice while investigations continue. The International Transport Workers’ Federation confirmed that about a dozen crew members are still in the city.

The Dali was eventually moved to Norfolk, Virginia, where much of its damaged cargo, including 275 tons of soybeans, was discarded. The vessel later sailed to China for repairs and has since returned to service.

Meanwhile, demolition of the remaining parts of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the Patapsco River is now expected to happen this summer, with construction of a new bridge likely to start later in the year. The rebuilding effort is estimated to cost nearly $2 billion.

Over 20 individuals and businesses intend to sue the State of Maryland, suggesting the state may have failed to ensure the bridge’s safety.

References: foxbaltimore, thebaltimorebanner

Source: Maritime Shipping News