Dramatic video shows why Dali's removal from Key Bridge collapse site has been pushed back to next week
BALTIMORE - Controlled explosions were supposed to remove a span of the Key Bridge from the Dali to get it refloated within two days, but that timeline was pushed back to next week.
Video from Unified Command shows why.
The plan remains on track to fully reopen access to the Port of Baltimore by the end of May.
Debris remains on the Dali
Massive steel beams from the bridge and part of the roadway remain on top of the ship.
Just entering the Dali requires climbing multiple ladders before reaching the upper deck where there are still damaged containers.
Unified Command video also shows workers suspended by a crane trying to pull out pieces of the wreckage in a delicate operation.
Waiting for dive survey results
Unified Command says they have evaluated sonar and lidar images but still have to complete a dive survey, and it is too dangerous for divers to get in the water next to the Dali.
"This diver inspection is a necessary and vital step in the complicated process of reopening the Fort McHenry Federal Channel in a manner that mitigates risk to the vessel once it's carefully refloated and moved from its current position," Unified Command wrote in an update posted to their response page.
Investigation continues into cause of ship's crash
While the Dali remains stuck in the Patapsco River, the investigation into what caused the disaster is still underway.
That includes whether two power outages on board the day before the fateful journey caused more blackouts just before the Dali hit the Key Bridge, and whether adjustments the crew made to the ship's electrical system played any role in the crash.
"While recovering from the second blackout, the crew switched from a different transformer instead of breakers from those that had been in use for several months," NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said at a congressional hearing this week. "Switching breakers is not unusual but may have affected operations the very next day on the accident voyage."
