Looked like that ship was in boogie mode.
Somebody who claims to know diesel engines says that they give off smoke when you rev them, so he thinks the pilot revved the boat before shutting it down.
Don’t they have tug boats at the ready ,in case this situation arises? It seems to me that the harbor “master” was lackadaisical when it comes to the safety of the bridge and harbor. WTF were they doing?
Why wasn’t it being towed out?
Did the ship have tug escorts, and if not, why not?
“All astern,”ping!
Baltimore is pro-diversity, so I wonder who the apprentice pilot was. Doesn’t matter, because this looks like a purely mechanical issue, there could have been some seamanship decisions, but an out-of-control ship there’s not a lot you can do, although sone of the decisions they made could have caused it to turn at the end.
It is obvious from one of the videos that the ship was steered hard to the right into the bridge pier.
If not for that steerage it would appear to have passed under the bridge.
I explain, the viewers perspective of the side of the ship shortens rapidly as it approaches ie: comes towards the bridge pier which indicates alignment with not divergence from.
It was suggested that they should build a tunnel, for safety reasons. They built a bridge because it was cheaper. Bridge detractors speculated as to the date the structure would come crashing down, thanks to this type of incident. At just under 50 years, it’s had a good run.
Still calling BS on the narrative.
Power went “out” just like magic
Did not bother to drop anchor
Engines cut out
Guys driving the boat forgot how to drive that boat
Just happens to be the biggest port that handles the heavy and large loads
The entire crew survived....so we should know everything....except what the government doesn’t want us to know...
The pilot should have just tried to float through. There just wasn’t enough time to stop at 7 knots and the forward momentum might have propelled the boat without breaking the lane. It really depends on if they had rudder control.
Really..? Then what was that smoke suddenly pouring out of the stacks all about.? I ain't no stationary engineer, but from all that smoke it sure looked like someone hit the throttle hard forward or reverse....maybe(?)
My speculation after watching several videos is that someone deliberately changed course to collide with the bridge.
Then, they or an accomplice shut down engine and maneuvering power.
A struggle ensued.
Power was briefly restored and and attempt made to slow or change course.
Power shut down again and .... boom!
Political and media forces do not want you to know or think it was a deliberate terrorist act under Uncle Joe’s watch.
Conspiracy theorists have been hard at work saying it was done on purpose. they hate it when I point to bridge collapses in the past.
Tacoma Narrows bridge (Galloping Gertie)1940
Silver King Bridge over 50 years ago
I-40 bridge in Oklahoma 2002
Now this one.
Scrubbed the dock, not exactly a “crash”. NOTHING of the SCALE of this actual crash.
Was the ship ever named “Christine”?
Most interesting - this vid shows that the ship did start to veer slightly away from the bridge support at the last moment, but it was too late.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoPRz7wk3WY
time stamp 9:15
Anything that could go wrong certainly did so.
That ship makes the bridge look small.
I read that when the bridge was built that ships back then averaged only 1/3rd the size of the one that hit the bridge. That bridge did not have any ‘bumpers’ around the pier.
Lowest bidder design that caught up with the worst case scenario.
The bridge debris will be cleared pretty quick to open the port again but I bet the politicians will get involved and it will take years to build a new one and at least 2 or 3 times + the estimated cost and not the best design with lots of bribery and graft involved.