A look at US disasters involving boats hitting bridges

Tuesday’s bridge collapse in Baltimore wasn’t the first time a bridge crumbled after being struck by a ship or boat.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River early Tuesday morning when cargo ship Dali slammed into it after experiencing power issues. Two people are confirmed dead and four are presumed dead.

The 1.6-mile bridge served as a major roadway for some 35,000 Marylanders every day and overlooked the Port of Baltimore, an important auto hub for the supply chain. The Biden administration has approved $60 million for emergency work in response to the collapse.

Here’s a look at other disasters caused by boats hitting bridges.

Big Bayou Canot: 47 killed, 103 injured 

Towboat Mauvilla was pushing barges in dense fog on Sept. 22, 1993, when it slammed into the Big Bayou Canot railroad bridge near Mobile, Alabama. Within minutes of the bridge being displaced, an Amtrak train traveling from Los Angeles to Miami hit the bridge and derailed. Several train cars plummeted into the water, killing 47 people and injuring 103.

Sunshine Skyway Bridge: 35 killed

The bridge, which spanned Lower Tampa Bay in Florida, collapsed on May 9, 1980, when freight ship Summit Venture hit a support column during a sudden storm. Vehicles, including a Greyhound bus with 26 people, plunged into the water, killing 35 people.

Interstate 40 Bridge: 14 killed, 11 injured

Towboat Robert Y. Love was transporting barges on the Arkansas River in Oklahoma on May 26, 2002, when it lost control of the tow, sending barges crashing into the pier of the bridge. A section of the bridge collapsed into the river, sending vehicles and tractor-trailers into the water. Fourteen people died and 11 were injured; survivors received help from nearby fishermen participating in a competition.

Sidney Lanier Bridge: 10 killed, 11 injured 

Within 15 minutes of leaving the Brunswick, Georgia, docks, on Nov. 7, 1972, the African Neptune slammed into the bridge, causing it to collapse. Ten people died in the disaster, and 11 were hurt. Polish freighter Ziemia Bialostocka hit the same bridge in 1987, resulting in no deaths but causing $1.4 million in damage.

Queen Isabella Causeway: 8 killed, 3 injured  

A tow boat with four barges collided with the Texas bridge that connected South Padre Island to Port Isabel on Sept. 15, 2001. Drivers coming from South Padre Island couldn’t see the missing spans until after they reached the peak of the bridge, giving them little time to react. Ten cars drove off the bridge, killing eight people and injuring three.

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway: 6 killed 

The Louisiana bridge crumbled into Lake Pontchartrain on June 16, 1964, when a tugboat hit it. A Continental Trailways bus fell into the lake, killing six passengers.

John P. Grace Memorial Bridge: 5 killed 

Nicaragua Victory was anchored in the Cooper River in Charleston, South Carolina, when it drifted during a storm and slammed into the bridge on Feb. 24, 1946. Part of the bridge crumbled into the river. One vehicle, carrying a family of five, fell into the river, killing them.

Judge William Seeber Bridge: 1 killed, 2 injured 

Tugboat Chris crashed into a support pier of the New Orleans bridge on May 28, 1993. The bridge fell into the waterway below, bringing with it two vehicles. One person died and two others were seriously injured. 

Eads Bridge: 50 injured 

Anne Holley was towing barges when it hit the Eads Bridge in St. Louis on April 4, 1998. Eight barges broke away and three hit a permanently moored gambling vessel below the bridge, injuring 50 people.

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Editor: Brinley Hineman