According to the NTSB, the ship that struck the Baltimore Bridge experienced two power outages before the incident

Top line

The cargo ship that crashed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in March after a power outage experienced two separate power outages 10 hours before the incident, according to a preliminary report released Tuesday by the National Transportation Safety Board that shows There had previously been more power problems than previously known crashes.

The ship was heading to Sri Lanka. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP) (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via … (+) Getty Images)

AFP via Getty Images

Important facts

The 24-page NTSB report found that the cargo ship, known as the Dali, lost power twice before leaving the port of Baltimore. The first power outage occurred after a crew member accidentally closed an exhaust flap during maintenance, causing the engine to stall.

The second power outage occurred after a generator that kicked in when the ship’s system first detected a power outage suffered a loss of fuel pressure.

The preliminary report does not clarify whether the outages before departure were related to the two later power outages that directly caused the Dali to crash into a bridge girder.

Subsequent power outages that occurred immediately prior to the incident included a circuit breaker trip that interrupted the ship’s propulsion, which was resolved, and a subsequent outage that occurred 0.2 miles from the bridge and could not be resolved prior to the collision, which led to the accident bridge collapse.

The report confirmed the deaths of six construction workers on the bridge at the time of the collapse and noted that one of the Dali’s 23 crew members was seriously injured.

Get SMS alerts on breaking news from Forbes: We’re introducing SMS alerts so you can stay on top of the biggest stories breaking the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or log in Here.

What you should pay attention to

The NTSB is investigating the Dali’s power distribution system and the probable cause of the incident. It can take up to a year to complete a full investigation.

Surprising fact

The Dali’s crew members are still on board the ship more than a month after the bridge collision. They were interviewed by investigators and their phones were confiscated, the Associated Press reported.

Important background

Part of the collapsed bridge that was still on the ship was destroyed in a controlled demolition on Monday. Dali crew members sought shelter in a designated area on the ship during the demolition, causing portions of the structure to fall into the water and leaving some debris on the ship. Authorities are trying to clear the ship and bridge debris by the end of the month.