NTSB to Vote on Findings of Baltimore Bridge Collapse Investigation

Tue Nov 18 2025 16:59:00 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The National Transportation Safety Board is poised to deliver its findings on the Baltimore bridge collapse that resulted in the tragic death of six construction workers last year.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is scheduled to vote on its findings regarding the cause of a significant container ship accident involving the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, which collapsed in March 2024, leading to the loss of six lives. Following the incident, Maryland officials have reported a dramatic increase in the estimated costs for bridge replacement, now expected to be between $4.3 billion and $5.2 billion, along with an extended timeline for completion to 2030. Investigations have revealed a loose cable on the cargo ship Dali, potentially leading to electrical malfunctions that caused the vessel to veer off course before striking the bridge.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is set to cast its vote on findings related to a catastrophic incident where a massive container ship collided with Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, resulting in the collapse of the bridge and the tragic deaths of six construction workers.

The board’s vote is scheduled for Tuesday, following recent announcements from Maryland officials who revealed a more than twofold increase in the anticipated costs to replace the bridge. The new estimates range between $4.3 billion and $5.2 billion, substantially higher than the previous estimate of roughly $1.9 billion, with the anticipated completion date being pushed back to 2030.

Governor Wes Moore indicated that initial estimates regarding the bridge’s reconstruction were rushed and occurred less than two weeks after the disaster. He explained, “Since then, national economic conditions have deteriorated and material costs have increased. Elevated costs have also been influenced by new federal design and resilience standards.”

The board is convening in Washington to vote on possible causation and safety recommendations in addition to revising earlier reports.

Past investigations have identified a loose cable that may have triggered electrical faults aboard the ship, named Dali. This malfunction is believed to have led to a power loss, causing it to veer off its course before colliding with the bridge on March 26, 2024.

The Dali, which was en route from Baltimore to Sri Lanka, suffered steering failures due to power loss that night, crashing into one of the bridge's supporting pillars around 1:30 a.m. The impact prompted the bridge's fatal collapse into the Patapsco River.

In a preliminary report released last year, safety investigators documented several power-related issues encountered by the Dali both prior to and during its departure from Baltimore. Reports reveal it first lost power while docked, after crew mishandled an exhaust damper during maintenance, resulting in an engine stall. Upon its departure, the ship switched to a different electrical configuration that later was found to have the problematic loose cable.

When disconnected, this loose cable caused a blackout similar to what was experienced as the vessel approached the bridge.

The tragic collapse took the lives of six road crew members who were working to fill potholes overnight. In the aftermath, commercial shipping traffic in and out of the Port of Baltimore was severely disrupted until the channel reopened fully that June.

The NTSB criticized the Maryland Transportation Authority for not addressing the bridge's vulnerability to ship strikes, a situation made increasingly critical as maritime traffic patterns have changed since the structure opened in 1977. Recommendations have been made for other bridge owners to heed these lessons.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge, a significant transport link for the Baltimore area, was originally constructed over five years and opened to traffic in 1977. Crews have been actively dismantling the remaining parts of the collapsed bridge since July.