BRIDGE OVER TO A LOCAL PILOT WHO BRIDGE OVER TO A LOCAL PILOT WHO GETS ON THE SHIP TO NAVIGATE INTO THE WATERS, TO NAVIGATE INTO THE HARBOR ITSELF. SO WE DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS THE CAPTAIN WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SHIP AT THAT VERY MOMENT OR DID THEY HAVE A LOCAL HARBORMASTER, IF YOU WILL, OR A PILOT I SHOULD SAY WHO WAS ONBOARD AT THE TIME. WE SIMPLY DON'T KNOW. AND PARDON ME FOR NOT HAVING ALL THE PROPER LANGUAGE ON THIS. I'M NOT A HARBOR EXPERT, AND I'M SURE WE'VE GOT THEM IN OUR AUDIENCE PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS. BUT THIS IS VERY, VERY COMPLICATED PORT WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SHIPPING VOLUME, CARRIES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CARGO INTO AND OUT OF THE EAST COAST. AND I WILL TELL YOU IF YOU TRAVEL IN AND AROUND THE BALTIMORE AREA YOU KNOW HOW OFTEN YOU SEE MASSIVE CONTAINER SHIPS HERE, CRUISE SHIPS ARE HERE. THERE ARE AN AWFUL LOT OF CAR LOTS WHERE BRAND NEW CARS ARE STAGING BEFORE THEY ARE LOADED ONTO OR COMING OFF OF THESE SHIPS, JUST A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY IN THIS AREA. SO TO LOSE THE FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE AND ALSO HAVE THIS HARBOR OR THIS PORT SO DRAMATICALLY IMPACTED WILL HAVE A DRAMATIC IMPACT ON THE BALTIMORE REGION TODAY CERTAINLY ECONOMIC BUT ALSO OF COURSE JUST LOGISTICALLY IN GETTING AROUND. BUT AT THE MOMENT OUR KEY CONCERN IS HOW MANY PEOPLE MAY HAVE BEEN ON THE BRIDGE AND MAY BE IN THE WATER. >> YES, INCLUDING POTENTIALLY SEVERAL CONSTRUCTION WORKERS WHO MAY HAVE BEEN WORKING AT THE TIME. LOOK AT THE AERIAL SHOT. IT'S DARK. THERE WERE CONFLICTING REPORTS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE CARGO SHIP ITSELF HAD SUNK. >> Reporter: YEAH, I'VE HEARD IT MAY HAVE SUNK, SAVANNAH. I DON'T HAVE THAT MYSELF. I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION CONFIRMED. IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE HOPING TO GET MORE CLARITY FROM MARYLAND STATE AUTHORITIES WITH THIS NEWS CONFERENCE ANY MOMENT NOW. I THINK WE WANT TO KNOW, WHETHER IN FACT, THAT SHIP DID SINK. WE WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE MAY HAVE BE STILL IN THE WATER, HOW MANY PEOPLE ON THE BRIDGE, HOW MANY THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, THE EXTENT OF THE SEARCH AND RESCUE APEERATIONS. WE KNOW BALTIMORE CITY FIRE AND RESCUE HAS BEEN HERE. ALSO SURROUNDING FIRE DEPARTMENTS RESPONDED. THE COAST GUARD RESPONDED AS WELL, BUT WE'RE WAITING FOR THE SPECIFICS OF THAT. >> WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM OFFICIALS, MAY GET SOME OF THE ANSWERS AS THEY STEP HERE TO THE MICROPHONES IN BALTIMORE, THE COLLAPSE OF THE KEY BRIDGE IN BALTIMORE HARBOR. LET'S LISTEN. >> EVERYBODY. >>? EVERYBODY READY? GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CHIEF JAMES WALLACE. I'M THE CHIEF OF THE BALTIMORE CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT. I'M JOINED THIS MORNING BY OUR MAYOR BRANDON SCOTT, COUNCIL PRESIDENT MOSBY, COUNCILWOMAN PORTER, COUNTY EXECUTIVE JOHNNY OCHEFSKY AND THE BALTIMORE COUNTY FIRE CHIEF. OUR BRIEF THIS MORNING WILL BE ON THE SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION ONGOING AT THIS POINT. AT APPROXIMATELY 0140 HOURS THIS MORNING OUR 911 CENTER DISPATCHED A CALL TO THE BALTIMORE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THE REPORT OF A WATER RESCUE IN THE RIVER IN AN AREA OF THE KEY BRIDGE. AS UNITS WERE RESPONDING THEY BEGAN TO RECEIVE NUMEROUS CALLS INDICATING MULTIPLE PEOPLE IN THE WATER. AT SOME POINT DURING THAT CHAIN OF EVENTS OF CALLS, WE BEGAN TO RECEIVE INDICATIONS THAT A SHIP MAY HAVE STRUCK THE KEY BRIDGE. WE GOT FURTHER INFORMATION THROUGH MULTIPLE CALLS THAT THE KEY BRIDGE -- PORTIONS OF OF THE KEY BRIDGE HAD ACTUALLY COLLAPSED. AT ABOUT 0150 HOURS OUR FIRST UNIT ARRIVED ON SCENE AND REPORTED A COMPLETE COLLAPSE OF THE KEY BRIDGE. WE WERE ALSO GIVEN INFORMATION AT THAT TIME THAT THERE WERE LIKELY MULTIPLE PEOPLE ON THE BRIDGE AT THE TIME OF THE COLLAPSE AND THAT AS A RESULT MULTIPLE PEOPLE WERE IN THE WATER. WE WERE ABLE TO REMOVE TWO PEOPLE FROM THE WATER. ONE INDIVIDUAL REFUSED SERVICE AND REFUSED TRANSPORT. ESSENTIALLY THAT PERSON WAS NOT INJURED. HOWEVER, THERE WAS ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL THAT'S BEEN TRANSPORTED TO A LOCAL TRAUMA CENTER THAT IS IN VERY SERIOUS CONDITION. AT THIS TIME WE HAVE MULTIPLE AIR ASSETS FROM THE MARYLAND STATE POLICE AS WELL AS THE BALTIMORE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS MULTIPLE MARINE ASSETS FROM AROUND THE REGION INCLUDING BALTIMORE CITY, BALTIMORE COUNTY AS WELL AS MULTIPLE LOCAL AND STATE POLICE AGENCIES, NATIONAL RESOURCES POLICE, BPD SPECIAL OPS IS HERE, MARYLAND STATE POLICE IS HERE. WE HAVE MULTIPLE RESOURCES. WE ARE STILL VERY MUCH IN AN ACTIVE SEARCH AND RESCUE POSTURE AT THIS POINT, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE FOR SOME TIME. WE HAVE A LARGE AREA THAT WE HAVE TO SEARCH. THIS INCLUDES ON THE SURFACE OF THE WATER, SUBSURFACE, AS WELL AS ON THE DECK OF THE SHIP ITSELF.
WE BELIEVE AT THIS POINT WE MAY WE BELIEVE AT THIS POINT WE MAY BE LOOKING FOR -- WE MAY BE LOOKING FOR UPWARDS OF SEVEN INDIVIDUALS. THAT'S THE LATEST INFORMATION WE HAVE. HOWEVER, WHAT I WILL SAY IS IT'S THE INFORMATION THAT I'M GIVING YOU RIGHT NOW IS AS OF RIGHT NOW, IT'S WHAT WE KNOW RIGHT NOW. THIS IS A VERY LARGE INCIDENT. IT INVOLVES A VERY LARGE FOOTPRINT. MULTIPLE AGENCIES ARE OPERATING, THEREFORE INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AS WE GET MORE INTEL AND AS OUR CREWS WORK THROUGH THE MORNING. OVER THE NEXT 8 TO 12 HOURS YOU CAN EXPECT TO CONTINUE TO SEE OUR AIR AND MARITIME ASSETS FUNCTIONING OUT ON THE WATER AND IN THE AIR ABOVE. WE NEED TO DO DAMAGE ASSESSMENT OF THE SHIP ITSELF BEFORE WE CAN BOARD THAT HIP, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE OUR SUBSURFACE SEARCH, WHICH IS INCLUDING DIFFERENT TYPES OF SONAR. WE HAVE SIDE SCAN SONAR. WE HAVE OTHER SONAR CAPABILITIES HERE. WE HAVE UNDER WATER UAVs THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH. AND THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH INFRARED TECHNOLOGY BOTH FROM THE AIR AND ON THE WATER SURFACE. SO I'M GOING TO WRAP UP HERE WITH JUST SAYING THIS CONTINUES TO BE A SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION. IT CONTINUES TO BE A VERY DYNAMIC OPERATION WITH MULTIPLE LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL RESOURCES INVOLVED. WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR MAYOR, MAYOR BRANDON SCOTT. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHIEF. EVERYONE, THIS IS AN UNTHINKABLE TRAGEDY. WE HAVE TO FIRST AND FOREMOST PRAY FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE IMPACTED, THOSE FAMILIES, PRAY FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND THANK THEM, ALL OF THEM WORKING TOGETHER, CITY, STATE, LOCAL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THIS TRAGEDY. THIS IS AN ONGOING ACTIVE RESEARCH THAT WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW. AS YOU HEARD FROM THE CHIEF AS LONG AS WE HAVE TO BE DOING THAT, WE'LL DO IT. BUT WE HAVE TO BE THINKING ABOUT THE FAMILIES AND PEOPLE IMPACTED, FOLKS WHO WE HAVE TO TRY TO FIND AND SAVE. THIS IS WHAT OUR FOCUS SHOULD BE ON RIGHT NOW. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EVERY PART OF GOVERNMENT TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO GET US THROUGH THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS TRAGEDY. AND WITH THAT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO COUNTY EXECUTIVE OCHEFSKI. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR SCOTT. I THINK WE ALL AWOKE TO THIS MORNING AN UNSPEAKABLE TRAGEDY. AS THE MAYOR INDICATED WE KNOW THERE WILL BE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IMPACTED BY THIS REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS THE REST OF THE WAY OUT, SO I WILL JUST ECHO THE MAYOR IN LIFTING UP PRAYERS FOR THOSE IMPACTED BUT ALSO ASK OUR RESIDENTS PRAY FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE BEEN ON SCENE SINCE VERY EARLY A IN THE MORNING NOT ONLY CONDUCTING INITIAL SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS BUT PLANNING FOR ADDITIONAL ONES AS THE SUN COMES UP. AND THE WORK THEY DO CANNOT BE UNDERSTATED. I WANT TO JUST THANK THEM FOR ALL THEY ARE DOING AND WILL DO IN THE DAYS AND HOURS AHEAD. WE KNOW WE HAVE A LONG ROAD AHEAD NOT JUST IN THE SEARCH AND RESCUE BUT IN THE FALLOUT FOLLOWING THIS. I THINK WE APPROPRIATELY HAVE OUR ATTENTION ON THE SEARCH AND RESCUE EFFORTS CURRENTLY. AND JUST HERE ALONGSIDE OUR PARTNERS IN THE CITY TO SAY THEY HAVE OUR FULL SUPPORT. JUST AS WE WANT TO THANK OUR STATE PARTNERS FOR THE RESOURCES THEY'VE OFFERED UP AS WELL AS THE FEDERAL PARTNERS WHO HAVE ALREADY REACHED OUT. THE MAYOR AND I HAVE TALKED TO THE GOVERNOR. WE'VE HEARD FROM THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION, SO COLLECTIVELY WE THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR THOUGHTS, THEIR WELL-WISHES. BUT, AGAIN, THIS IS VERY ACTIVE SITUATION AND WE WANT TO JUST THANK THE CHIEF AND OUR TEAMS FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THEY'RE DOING. WITH THAT, I'LL TURN THINGS BACK OVER TO CHIEF. >> THANK YOU, COUNTY EXECUTIVE. I'LL HAVE EVERYONE GO AROUND. >> CHIEF, CAN YOU TELL US WHERE THE CREW OF THE SHIP IS? YOU ALSO MENTIONED, TOO, THAT THE TWO PEOPLE WHO WERE RESCUED, WHO MADE THE FIRST 911 CALL? AND THERE WERE REPORTS THERE WAS A CREW ON THE DECK OF THE SHIP WORKING AT THAT POINT? CAN YOU CONFIRM ANY OF THAT INFORMATION? >> THE LATEST INFORMATION WE HAVE ON THE CREW OF THE SHIP IS THAT THEY ARE STILL ONBOARD THE SHIP. THERE'S BEEN COMMS BETWEEN THE SHIP CREW AND THE COAST GUARD. SO AS PART OF THE OVERALL OPERATION, WE COMMUNICATE THROUGH THE COAST GUARD WITH THE SHIP. AND I'M SORRY, YOUR OTHER QUESTIONS? >> THERE WERE TWO PEOPLE TAKEN, WHO MADE THE FIRST 911 CALL? >> I DON'T KNOW WHO MADE THAT CALL YET. >> AND WERE THERE OTHER WORKERS ON THE DECK OF THE SHIP -- OR THE DECK OF THE BRIDGE AT THIS POINT? CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT? >> WE'RE BEING TOLD THERE WERE WORKERS ON THE BRIDGE. WE HAVE YET TO CONFIRM THAT. WE'LL WORK WITH MDTA TO OBVIOUSLY GET THAT INFORMATION. >> ABOUT HOW MANY CARS WERE ON THAT SHIP -- LAST QUESTION, ON THE DECK OF THE BRIDGE AT THE TIME OF THE COLLAPSE? >> DON'T HAVE A NUMBER. I CAN TELL YOU OUR SONAR HAS DETECTED THE PRESENCE OF VEHICLES SUBMERGED IN THE WATER. I DON'T HAVE A COUNT OF THAT YET. >> CHIEF, YOU MENTIONED UPWARDS OF SEVEN INDIVIDUALS YOU WERE LOOKING FOR. WE HEARD REPORTS OF 20 INDIVIDUALS. CAN YOU PAINT A CLEAR PICTURE ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY FELL INTO THE WATER AND HOW MANY YOU MIGHT BE LOOKING TO RESCUE, AND ALSO IF YOU CAN GET AN IDEA HOW MANY VEHICLES -- >> YEAH, I'LL START WITH THE LAST ONE. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY VEHICLES YET. I KNOW WE HAD DETECTED THE PRESENCE OF VEHICLES. AS FAR AS THE NUMBER BETWEEN THE 7 AND 20, THAT'S BEEN A DYNAMIC COUNT THROUGHOUT THE MORNING. JUST GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE HAVEN'T YET NAILED THAT NUMBER DOWN. WE DO BELIEVE AT LEAST SEVEN ARE INVOLVED IN THAT. AT LEAST SEVEN AT THIS POINT. >> THAT FELL INTO THE WATER? >> YES, MA'AM. >> YEAH, AND I KNOW YOU SAID THE CREW WAS ACCOUNTED FOR ON DECK. DO WE KNOW IF ANY OF THE CREW MEMBERS WERE PART OF THESE SEVEN PEOPLE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE
WATER? WATER? >> WE DO NOT. [ INAUDIBLE QUESTION ] >> SO WE'LL BE GUIDED BY OUR DIVE TEAMS. WE WILL DETERMINE WHAT THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER IS. THE OTHER ISSUE WE HAVE OUT THERE IS THAT THIS WATER IS CURRENT-INFLUENCED. SO RIGHT NOW WE THINK THE TIDE IS COMING BACK IN. THAT ATS A BIT OF CHALLENGE ALSO. THE FACT THERE'S TRAUMA INVOLVED. THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE WATER FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, BUT ALSO WE'RE BATTLING DARKNESS. IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE WE MAY HAVE SOMEBODY THERE WE'VE NOT SEEN YET. AND AS THEY WORK CLOSE DOOR THE DEBRIS FIELD, THEY'LL OBVIOUSLY MAKE THOSE DETERMINATIONS. BUT WE'RE GOING TO RELY ON THE EXPERTS, WHICH ARE OUR DIVE MASTERS THAT ARE HERE, OUR DIVE
TEAM TO TELL US WHEN WE'VE TEAM TO TELL US WHEN WE'VE REACHED THAT NONSURVIVABILITY POINT. >> CHIEF, WAS THERE ANY INDICATION ANY PROBLEM WITH THE SHIP, ANYTHING SO FAR EARLY ON TOLD YOU SOMETHING WAS WRONG? >> WE DO NOT HAVE THAT INFORMATION WITH REGARD TO THE INVESTIGATION. I WOULD REFER THAT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. MY FOCUS SINCE 1:40 THIS MORNING HAS BEEN THAT RESCUE OPERATION. >> SO FAR THERE'S BEEN NO INDICATION ANY KIND OF LIKE AN EMERGENCY DISPATCH CAME FROM THAT SHIP BEFORE? >> I HAVE NO INFORMATION ABOUT THAT, MA'AM. >> HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO CONTACT THE AMERICAN PILOT ON THAT BRIDGE? >> THE PILOT ON THE VESSEL? >> YEAH. >> WE HAVE NOT TALKED TO THE PILOT ON THE VESSEL. THE RESCUE PERSONNEL, THE RESCUE OPERATION, WE HAVE NOT
INTERACTED. INTERACTED. >> CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT [ INAUDIBLE ]. >> YEAH, I DON'T HAVE AGE AND GENDER ON EITHER. ONE PATIENT REFUSED SERVICE. REALLY THEY WEREN'T INJURED. THE SECOND PATIENT, HOWEVER, WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AND IS AT AN AREA TRAUMA CENTER. >> ARE YOU INCLUDING THEM IN THE AT LEAST SEVEN PEOPLE? >> WE DON'T KNOW YET IF THEY'RE PART OF THAT SEVEN. THE PATIENT IS INJURED SEVERELY ENOUGH WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DEBRIEF THAT PATIENT. >> THAT SEVEN NUMBER DOES THAT COMES FROM CARS COMING DOWN? WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM? IS THAT FROM THE SONAR? >> NO, THAT WAS THE INITIAL INFORMATION WE GOT AS WE WERE ARRIVING ON THE SCENE, THAT NUMBER. AND THAT NUMBER, AGAIN, AS I SAID EARLIER HAS FLUCTUATED, RIGHT? THAT SEVEN HAS BEEN A CONSISTENT NUMBER. >> HOW MANY AGENCIES ARE HERE ASSISTING RIGHT NOW? >> WOW. DOZENS. I MEAN LOCALLY FIRE DEPARTMENT WISE, HOWARD COUNTY IS HERE, HARTFORD WAS HERE. PG WAS HERE, ANARUNDLE, OF COURSE BALTIMORE CITY. AND A LOT OF THE AGENCIES ARE HERE BY VIRTUE OF THE FACT THEY MAY HAVE SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEED DURING AN INCIDENT LIKE THIS. SO WE'RE BRINGING IN THE EQUIPMENT SPECIFIC TO THE OPERATION RIGHT NOW. AND THEN EVEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES HAVE A LOT OF THE SAME MARINE OPS EQUIPMENT AS WE DO. SO GIVEN THE INCIDENT IS SO BIG, WE TRY TO FORCE MULTIPLY AND JUST BRING AS MANY RESOURCES IN AS WE CAN, SO THAT WE CAN REALLY BLANKET A LARGE AREA FOR A SEARCH. >> WHAT ABOUT THE COAST GUARD? >> WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CONFIRM WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN ACTIVE FUEL SPILL FROM THE VESSEL. THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT IS HERE AS WELL AS THE COAST GUARD, SO THEY WOULD TAKE LEADS ON THAT AS WELL. WE HAVE HOPE AS THE SUN COMES UP A LITTLE BIT WITH THE AIR ASSETS THAT ARE UP TO GET A MUCH BETTER PICTURE IF WE DO HAVE A FUEL SPILL, WHAT THE IMPACT HAS BEEN SO FAR. [ INAUDIBLE QUESTION ] [ INAUDIBLE QUESTION ] >> MARYLAND STATE POLICE HAS BEEN HERE. FOX TROT. I DON'T KNOW WE'LL BRING ANYMORE IN, BUT RIGHT NOW THEY'RE THE TWO PRIMARY. AIR RECONNAISSANCE ON SOMETHING ON THE OPEN WATER IT'S A VALUABLE RESOURCE. AND WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO HAVE IT BECAUSE AS WE PEOPLE OUT IN THE DARK ON THE WATER TO CONDUCT SEARCHES, THEY HAVE THAT DEGREE OF OVERWATCH. IT'S BEEN AN INVALUABLE RESOURCE. >> WE TALK ABOUT SEARCH AND RESCUE. I KNOW THAT. THAT'S WHERE THE FOCUS IS RIGHT NOW. I WAS AWAKENED TO THIS NEWS, WE'RE ALL AWAKENED TO THIS NEWS. I'VE SEEN THE VIDEO. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE TOTALITY OF THIS INCIDENT? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE SEEN AND THE COMMUNITY HAS EXPERIENCED SND. >> THIS IS TRAGEDY AS YOU CAN NEVER IMAGINE, RIGHT? AND I WAS AWAKE WHEN CHIEF WALLACE CALLED ME. BUT NEVER WHAT YOU THINK YOU WOULD SEE, PHYSICALLY SEE THE KEY BRIDGE TUMBLE DOWN LIKE THAT. IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF AN ACTION MOVIE. AND YOU THINK NOTHING BUT THOSE FAMILIES AND PEOPLE IMPACTED AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE RISKING THEIR LIVES RIGHT NOW FROM NOT JUST BALTIMORE CITY AND BALTIMORE COUNTY BUT ALL OVER THIS STATE TO TRY TO SAVE LIVES. THAT SHOULD BE OUR FOCUS, THE PRESERVATION OF LIFE BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO SEE THAT HAPPEN LET ALONE SOMEONE IN THEIR FAMILIES, SOMEONE THEY KNOW BE INJURED IN AN INCIDENT LIKE THIS. >> MAYOR BRANDON SCOTT, OTHER OFFICIALS, JAMES WALLACE, THE FIRE CHIEF OF BALTIMORE CITY WITH THE BREAKING NEWS THIS MORNING. IT IS ON YOUR SCREEN, THE FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE IN BALTIMORE HARBOR IN THE WATER THIS MORNING. AND WE'VE LEARNED QUITE A BIT FROM THAT NEWS CONFERENCE. I WANT TO BRING IN TOM COSTELLO, OUR CORRESPONDENT AT THE SCENE. MOST IMPORTANTLY THAT AT LEAST SEVEN PEOPLE ARE STILL UNACCOUNTED FOR THIS MORNING. AND RIGHT NOW MARINE UNITS
LOOKING FOR SURVIVORS IN THE LOOKING FOR SURVIVORS IN THE FRIGID WATERS THERE IN THE POTASS POTASSCO RIVER. WE'RE TOLD THE CREW REMAIN ONBOARD THAT SHIP. YOU CAN SEE WHAT HAPPENED AT 1:30 THIS MORNING, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE THE VIDEO OF IT AS WELL IF YOU'RE JUST JOINING US NOW, 6:40 ON THE EAST COAST, A CARGO SHIP LEAVING BALTIMORE HARBOR OWNED BY SYNERGY MARINE GROUP HITS A SUPPORT STRUCTURE OF THE KEY BRIDGE IN BALTIMORE. AND THERE ARE REPORTS THIS MORNING ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS THAT THE ENTIRE BRIDGE HAS COLLAPSED. AS THE SUN IS COMING UP ON THE EAST COAST, WE ARE STARTING TO GET A BETTER VIEW, AN AERIAL VIEW. THERE WERE CARS ON THE BRIDGE AT THE TIME. THE OFFICIALS SAY THAT SONAR HAS DETECTED THE PRESENCE OF CARS IN THE RIVER. TWO PEOPLE WERE PULLED FROM THE RIVER THIS MORNING. ONE WAS UNINJURED, THE OTHER SAID TO HAVE VERY SERIOUS INJURIES. AND THIS IS A SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSION RIGHT NOW. TOM COSTELLO IS WITH ME AT THE RIVER. ABOUT 48-DEGREE WATER TEMPERATURE. TO SAY THAT TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, THIS HAPPENED AT 1:30, 1:40 THIS MORNING ABOUT FIVE HOURS AGO. RESCUERS HAVE THEIR WORK CUT OUT FOR THEM AS THEY SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS HERE. >> Reporter: ABSOLUTELY. I'LL JUST TELL YOU STANDING ON THE GROUND HERE NEAR THE BRIDGE IT IS VERY COLD OUT HERE. ABOUT 35 DEGREES WITH THE WIND BLOWING. IT'S ABOUT 45 DEGREES OR SO IN THE WATER. WE CHECKED WOULD THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DELUTH ABOUT HOW LONG SOMEBODY MIGHT BE ABLE TO SURVIVE IF THEY WERE IN THE WATER, AND WITHIN SEVEN MINUTES SOMEONE MIGHT FACE JUST EXTREME EXHAUSTION AND EVEN IF THEY HAVE PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AND FLOAT GEAR OF SOME SORT, BEST CASE SCENARIO USUALLY YOU HAVE AN HOUR. SO WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT RIGHT NOW ABOUT THE SEVEN PEOPLE WHO ARE MISSING AND WHETHER AT THIS POINT BEING IN THE WATER WITH THAT KIND OF EXPOSURE MIGHT PROVE LIFE THREATENING. A COUPLE OTHER HEADLINES OUT OF THAT. THIS HAS BEEN A MASSIVE RESPONSE FROM BALTIMORE AND ALL THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES SENDING THEIR OWN FIRE RESCUE AND MARINE PERSONNEL. WE HAVE HELICOPTERS IN THE AIR ABOVE US. YOU HEARD THE FIRE CHIEF TALKING ABOUT USING THOSE AIR ASSETS TO SEARCH THE WATER. THAT'S VERY MUCH WHAT WE HAVE BEEN HEARING RIGHT OVERHEAD I SHOULD SAY AS THEY SEARCH FOR ANY SIGNS OF SURVIVORS IN THE WATER. AND THE OTHER HEADLINE IS, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T KNOW, SAVANNAH, GOING INTO THIS CONVERSATION. YOU AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE MISSING. WE HAD HEARD AS MANY AS 20, WE NOW KNOW SEVEN. AND SEPARATELY WE DIDN'T KNOW THE SHIP HAD SUNK BECAUSE IT WAS SO DARK WE COULDN'T SEE. WE KNOW THE SHIP IS THERE, THE CREW MEMBERS SURVIVED, NOBODY INJURED ON THE DECK OF THE SHIP ITSELF. AND WE'RE TOLD THE RESCUE TEAMS DON'T WANT TO BOARD THAT SHIP UNLESS THEY'VE DONE A FULL DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND THEY KNOW WHETHER IT'S SAFE. SO THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT THAT GOES INTO THIS RIGHT NOW. >> ABSOLUTELY. THESE VERY FRIGID WATERS OF THE RIVER OUTSIDE BALTIMORE RIGHT NOW THE FOCUS OF AN INTENSE HUNT FOR ANY SURVIVORS. OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY EVENT, THIS CARGO SHIP HITTING A SUPPORT STRUCTURE OF THE KEY BRIDGE IN BALTIMORE AND APPEARING TO TAKE IT DOWN PERHAPS IF TIRELY. WE WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH THIS STORY. WE'LL HAVE FULL COVERAGE ON NBC NEWS NOW, ON NBCNEWS.COM, AND OF COURSE COMING UP IN JUST A FEW
MINUTES ON "TODAY."
