International News
Major Baltimore Bridge Collapses After Ship Collision
A major bridge in the US city of Baltimore collapsed early Tuesday after being struck by a container ship, sending multiple vehicles and people plunging into the frigid harbor below.
Dramatic footage showed a 300-meter vessel hitting the Francis Scott Key Bridge, bringing the steel-built structure crashing into the Patapsco River.
Lights from what appear to be vehicles could be seen on the road surface as the bridge warped and crashed in sections, with the third tranche cantilevering upwards before it, too, tumbled into the water.
As daylight broke over the search and rescue operation with divers in the water looking for survivors, the horrifying extent of the incident became apparent.
Twisted stanchions of steel lay draped over the deck of the ship, on which stacks of containers teetered precariously — adding a further dimension of danger to rescue and recovery work.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said the incident was an “unthinkable tragedy,” adding “we have to be thinking about the families and people impacted, folks who we have to try to find.”
He described images of the collision as “like something out of an action movie.”
The footage appeared to show the ship going dark twice in the moments before the collision, possibly indicating some kind of power failure on board.
There was no immediate confirmation of the cause of the disaster, but Baltimore’s Police Commissioner Richard Worley said there was “no indication” of terrorism.
A huge emergency response swung into action after the collision, which happened around 1:30 am (0530 GMT), with first response vehicles crowding the shoreline.
Water temperatures were around 48 Fahrenheit (9 Celsius), narrowing the window of survivability.
Baltimore’s fire chief James Wallace said sonar had “detected the presence of vehicles” in the harbor, but declined to estimate how many.
One person was taken to hospital in “a very serious condition,” he said, adding a second person recovered from the water was uninjured.
“We may be looking for upwards of seven individuals,” he said.
– ‘Sound of thunder’ –
A man who identified himself as a former Baltimore fire department worker said he could see the bridge from his bedroom window.
“We were awakened by what appeared to be an earthquake and a long, rolling sound of thunder,” he told local media.
“I saw some emergency lights in the area and decided to drive up… what was in progress was a multi-jurisdictional response to a disaster.”
The 1.6-mile (2.6-kilometer), four-lane bridge spans the Patapsco River southwest of Baltimore.
It opened in 1977 and carries more
than 11 million vehicles a year, around 31,000 a day.
It is a major part of the road network around Baltimore, an industrial city on the US East Coast next to the capital Washington.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore declared a state of emergency, a move that will ease the release of federal resources.
Shipping giant Maersk said the “DALI,” which was en route from Baltimore to Colombo in Sri Lanka, was being operated by charter vessel company Synergy Group, and carrying cargo belonging to Maersk customers.
“We are horrified by what has happened in Baltimore, and our thoughts are with all of those affected,” a Maersk statement said.
“We are closely following the investigations conducted by authorities and Synergy, and we will do our utmost to keep our customers informed.”
All crew, as well as pilots — the specialized mariners who navigate vessels around port areas — have been accounted with no reports of any injuries, Synergy said.
“Rescue efforts remain underway and drivers in the Baltimore area should follow local responder guidance on detours and response,” US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said on social media.
Baltimore is home to one of the busiest ports in the United States, handling around $80 billion worth of cargo last year, including a large volume of vehicles.
If the bridge’s collapse hampers access to the Port of Baltimore, it could have a significant economic impact.
German authorities deported at least 137 Nigerian citizens across five chartered flights between February and June 2026, according to migration monitoring reports.
Data from the DERS Team and Refugees4refugees.org shows the deportations occurred in phases, with 27 Nigerians returned in February, 37 in March through a joint European Union operation, 24 in April, 23 in May, and 26 in June.
The February operation departed from Stuttgart and landed at Lagos Cargo Airport, with Baden-Württemberg listed as a primary participant. The March operation represented the largest single return of Nigerians recorded over three years and was executed in collaboration with Spain, Austria, and Belgium.
The reports indicate a growing reliance on multi-national chartered flights by European states to repatriate undocumented or non-resident individuals to Nigeria.
The United States has condemned the killing of members of the family of Plateau-based cleric, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, describing the attack as horrific and urging Nigerian authorities to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
In a statement shared on X on Thursday, the US Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs expressed condolences to the victims’ families and called for stronger measures to prevent further attacks on vulnerable communities across Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
“The United States strongly condemns the horrific killing of members of Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo’s family in Plateau State, Nigeria. The continued violence targeting Christian communities and other vulnerable populations in Nigeria’s Middle Belt is deeply alarming,” the bureau said
The US said it had already engaged Nigerian officials on the worsening security situation, stressing that urgent action was needed to curb recurring attacks and hold perpetrators accountable.
“As I discussed last week with Nigerian officials, we must do more to prevent violent acts. The perpetrators must be held accountable, and urgent action is needed to strengthen security and protect Christians and other vulnerable communities,” the statement added.
The bureau reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to working with the Nigerian government to combat terrorism and violent extremism, stressing that Christians and other Nigerians should be able to practise their faith without fear of violence.
The statement followed the July 12 attack on Kum community in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, where nine members of Rev. Dachomo’s extended family, including a two-month-old baby, were killed.
According to the cleric, the attackers, believed to be armed Fulani militias, asked for him by name before opening fire on his relatives.
Dachomo, who serves as Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, said his family had repeatedly been targeted because of his outspoken criticism of the violence in Plateau State.
He recalled that his grandmother and an uncle were also killed in previous attacks, adding that days after burying his relatives, he received a written death threat from the same group, warning that he would be their next target.
Saudi Arabia has updated its tourist eVisa programme for 2026, limiting eligibility in Africa to only three countries as part of its list of 66 nations whose citizens can apply through the Kingdom’s online visa platform.
The move leaves most African countries, including Nigeria, outside the simplified entry scheme.
The electronic visa allows eligible travellers to visit Saudi Arabia for tourism, leisure activities, family visits and Umrah, excluding the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Applications are completed online, eliminating the need for embassy visits and lengthy visa processing.
Saudi authorities said the eVisa forms part of ongoing efforts to expand tourism, attract international visitors and simplify travel procedures through a fully digital application system. The visa is available only to citizens of approved countries and territories listed on the Kingdom’s official tourism portal.
Below is the list of African countries eligible for Saudi Arabia’s eVisa.
1. Mauritius
2. Seychelles
3. South Africa
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