Even from miles away, the destruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore is a terrifying sight: Chunks of steel jut out of the water like metallic icebergs. Twisted gray beams jut out at slanted positions. From a park near Fort McHenry, visitors can see the giant cargo ship that struck the bridge and remains encased in the wreckage.
Less visible, however, are the 22 crew members from India who have remained on the ship, named Dali, since Tuesday’s disaster.
Little is publicly known about them except that they are sailors who embarked on a voyage on the 985-foot cargo ship en route to Sri Lanka, carrying 4,700 containers, when it lost power and struck the Key Bridge. causing the structure to collapse.
Since the accident, which killed six construction workers, the crew members have found themselves in an unexpected spotlight. While keeping the ship operational, they answer a barrage of questions from officials investigating the nighttime disaster, as evidence of what happened lies all around them in crumbling wreckage that stretches across the bow and deck.
While officials investigate what could have caused the tragedy, another question arose this week: What could the crew members, who have limited access to the outside world, be going through right now?
“They have to feel this burden of responsibility that they couldn’t stop it from happening,” said Joshua Messick, the executive director of the Baltimore International Seafarers’ Center, a faith-based nonprofit that seeks to protect seafarers’ rights.
Even so, officials praised May’s quick message from the crew that was broadcast over the radio as the ship lost power Tuesday. Before the Daly hit the bridge, traveling at eight knots, the Mayday call helped officers stop traffic from heading onto the bridge, likely saving several lives, authorities said.
As the ship remains docked in Baltimore harbor, where it may remain for weeks, the lives of the crew members have entered an uncertain phase. But one thing is certain: They won’t be cruising the seas around South Africa to their destination in Sri Lanka anytime soon.
But they won’t be docked in port immediately, as they must wait for enough debris to be cleared to free the ship and reopen the channel to one of the busiest ports in the United States. On Saturday, Maryland’s governor said officials planned to remove the first piece of debris.
So, for now, crew members are likely working a grueling schedule to maintain the ship that is similar to what it would be like if it were at sea. The difference, however, is that they stand still as the eyes of the world turn on them, experts said.
“The captain of the vessel and the crew have a duty to the vessel,” said Stephen Frailey, a partner at Pacific Maritime Group, which helps with maritime salvage and wreck removal.
According to Chris James, who works for a consulting firm assisting the ship’s management company, Synergy Marine, crew members have ample supplies of food and water, as well as plenty of fuel to keep the generators running. Indeed, when Jennifer Homendy, the chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, boarded the ship this week, she noticed the cook cooking. “It smelled really good,” he said.
However, there is still no exact timetable for when the ship could be recovered from the wreckage, Mr James said. Once the NTSB and Coast Guard complete their investigations, he said, “we will consider exchanging the crew and repatriating them.”
India, the home country of the crew members, is one of the world’s biggest hubs for seafarers, according to John A. Konrad, a ship captain and CEO of gCaptain, a news website about the shipping and offshore industry. Although Indian captains and engineers are paid less than their American counterparts, Mr. Konrad said, they make a decent living when they work three or more months a year at sea.
Working on a cargo ship, he said, is a 24-hour ordeal: Every day, the decks are checked for maintenance and safety, cooks and cleaners serve the other crew members, and engine room workers keep things running smoothly.
However, cargo ship crew members have some relaxed activities available to them, such as video game breaks in cabins, gym workouts, ping pong sessions and movie nights. The crew of the Dali has at least one television, magazines and books, said Andrew Middleton, who runs Apostleship of the Sea, a program that serves sailors coming from the port.
Clistan Joy Sequeira, an Indian seaman who was not on the Dali but docked in Baltimore from another cargo ship on Friday, said in an interview that he feared the impact the bridge collapse could have on his industry and his country.
“I’m afraid that because this crew is Indian, our international image will suffer,” said the 31-year-old Mr. Sequeira. “We might lose jobs.”
Some in the Baltimore port community had some contact with the Dali crew, albeit briefly, through third parties or WhatsApp. Mr Messick said he sent the crew two Wi-Fi hotspots on Friday because they had no internet on board.
Mr Middleton said he was keeping in touch with two crew members, reminding them that “we are here for them”.
“When I’ve asked them how they’re doing, their answers range from ‘good’ to ‘great,'” he said. “Well, by their own accounts, it’s fine.”
Mr Messick said he had also sent a care package to the crew through a salvage company that was helping with operations. In the package were candies, homemade muffins from a concerned local and thank you cards from children.
With so many questions still unanswered about the crew members’ next steps, Mr Messick said he was keen to provide them with trauma care and emotional support. On Friday, he wrote a letter to the captain, which was delivered by another boat.
“We are here to support you,” it read.
