Loose electrical cable found on ship which collided with Baltimore bridge

Investigators working to pinpoint the cause of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse discovered a loose cable that could have caused electrical issues on the ship which crashed into it.

The Dali, a massive cargo ship, lost power and veered off course before striking the bridge.

When disconnected, the cable triggered an electrical blackout on the ship similar to what happened as it approached the bridge on March 26, according to documents released on Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The documents do not include any analysis or conclusions, which will be released in the board’s final report.

A spokesperson for the board declined to comment as the investigation is ongoing.

The Dali was leaving Baltimore bound for Sri Lanka when its steering failed because of the power loss. It crashed into one of the bridge’s supporting columns, destroying the 1.6-mile span and killing six members of a roadwork crew.

Safety investigators released a preliminary report earlier this year that documented a series of power issues on the ship before and after its departure from Baltimore.

The new records offer more details about how its electrical system may have failed in the critical moments leading up to the deadly disaster.

The Dali first experienced a power outage when it was docked in Baltimore after a crew member mistakenly closed an exhaust damper while conducting maintenance, causing one of the ship’s diesel engines to stall, according to the earlier report.

Crew members made changes to the ship’s electrical configuration, switching from one transformer and breaker system — which had been in use for several months — to a second that was active upon its departure.

That second transformer and breaker system is where investigators found the loose cable, according to investigative reports.

Investigators also removed an electrical component from the same system for additional testing, according to a supplemental report released in June. They removed what is called a terminal block, which is used to connect electrical wires.

Engineers from Hyundai, the manufacturer of the ship’s electrical system, said the loose cable could create an open circuit and cause a breaker to open, according to a 41-page report detailing tests completed on the Dali in the weeks after the collapse.

The engineers disconnected the cable as part of a simulation, which resulted in a blackout on the ship.

Hyundai sent engineers from its headquarters in South Korea to help with the investigation in April.

The new documents also included various certificates issued after inspections of the Dali pertaining to its general condition and compliance with maritime safety regulations.

The Dali left Baltimore for Virginia in late June. It was scheduled to undergo repairs there, and local media reported last week that it will sail to China, likely sometime later this month.