As the crew of the Dali, an imposing 948ft (289m) container ship, realized the unfolding crisis, it was already too late to avert disaster.
Embarking on a 27-day voyage from Baltimore to Sri Lanka, the vessel lost complete power shortly after departing the port, hurtling towards Baltimore’s iconic Francis Scott Key Bridge in the dead of night.
The abrupt darkness enveloped the crew, intensifying the sense of urgency as the ship’s lights abruptly extinguished. With no functioning electronics and crucially, no engine power, they found themselves adrift, unable to halt their ominous trajectory.
Despite frantic efforts and multiple alarms, the crew’s attempts to diagnose and rectify the issue proved futile, leaving them at the mercy of the current.
Guided by a local pilot, the crew executed desperate maneuvers, steering hard to port and dropping anchor in a bid to prevent drifting towards disaster.
Though an emergency generator briefly provided relief, the ship never regained full propulsion, forcing the pilots into a dire decision. Just before 01:30 (05:30 GMT), a mayday call pierced the night, alerting authorities to the imminent collision.