6 people missing and presumed dead at Baltimore bridge disaster

Six people are missing and presumed dead after a container ship hit the landmark Francis Scott Key Bridge in the US city of Baltimore.

The Coast Guard says it had suspended its search and begun a recovery effort.

Several vehicles were crossing the bridge, which is more than 2.6km (1.6 miles) long, when it collapsed after the vessel hit a support.

Officials say the ship suffered a "power issue" and issued a distress call moments before the crash.

Boats and helicopters were part of a huge search and rescue effort searching for the six missing people. Two others were pulled from the water, with one in a serious condition.

Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath of the US Coast Guard said in the evening that the remaining missing men were presumed dead based on the temperature of the waters they had fallen in and the length of time they have been under water.

Authorities say they were part of a construction crew repairing potholes at the time the bridge snapped.

The Singapore-flagged container ship, Dali, struck a support column on the 47-year-old bridge at 01:30 (05:30 GMT), causing it to collapse.

Source: BBC