Baltimore bridge collapse: Andrew Tate says ship was ‘cyber-attacked’; White House rejects rumours

The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday (Mar26) after being struck by a container ship, plunging into the Patapsco River.

The entire incident was captured on various live streams, although no audio of the collapse was recorded. Video evidence suggests that several vehicles fell into the river. However, there's uncertainty about whether people were on the bridge during the collapse.

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Baltimore bridge collapse conspiracy theories and White Houseresponse

Despite initial reports attributing the collapse to the ship's collision, conspiracy theories have emerged on social media platforms like X, with claims of deliberate intent.

The White House asserted that it was 'closely monitoring' the situation and that there was no indication of 'any nefarious intent' behind the Baltimore ship collapse. A White House official said, "Our hearts go out to the families of those who remain missing as a result of this horrific incident."

Meanwhile, controversialsocial media personality, businessman, and former professional kickboxerAndrew Tate made some serious claims about the incident on social media platform X. "This ship was cyber-attacked. Lights go off and it deliberately steers towards the bridge supports. Foreign agents of the USA attack digital infrastructures. Nothing is safe. Black Swan event imminent," he tweeted on X along with a live stream clip.

Another user on X wrote, "The Baltimore Maryland bridge collapsed this morning. This looks pretty deliberate to me. It rammed straight into one of the supports."

FBI Baltimore also posted on X, "Francis Scott Key Bridge: There is no specific and credible information to suggest any ties to terrorism at this time. The investigation is ongoing."

Who owns the ship that collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge?

The involved vessel, the 948-foot-long Dali, a Singaporean-flagged container, departed Baltimore's Seagirt Marine Terminal at around 12:30 am. The 9-year-old ship slowed and diverted off its path. The ship is chartered by Maersk and managed by Synergy Marine Group, Singapore, and owned by Grace Ocean, Singapore.

Rescue operations are underway; 6 missing, 1 hospitalised

Search and rescue operations are ongoing, involving multiple agencies and volunteers, including Coast Guard ships and local fire departments. Six people are missing and two individuals were rescued from the river; one was unharmed while the other was hospitalised in serious condition.

Synergy Marine Group, the company operating the Dali ship, confirmed the collision and assured that all crew members, including pilots, were safe.

While the exact cause of the collapse is still under investigation, initial reports suggest a collision with a bridge pillar, causing containers and diesel to flood into the river.

(With inputs from agencies)