Washington, 27 March 2024 (dpa/MIA) - Six people who went missing when a bridge in Baltimore near Washington collapsed after a cargo ship crashed into it are presumed dead, the US Coast Guard said as it announced that the search for survivors had been suspended.

Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said that, based on the length of time that the search has been going on, and the water temperatures "we do not believe that we are going to find any of these individuals still alive."

Gilreath added that the "search and rescue effort" would be suspended as of 7:30 pm (2330 GMT).

Maryland State Police's Roland Butler said the operation would continue in a search and recover format.

"The changing conditions out there have made it dangerous for the first responders, the divers in the water," Butler said, citing water temperatures and currents. "We will still have surface ships out overnight."

A cargo ship rammed into one of the support pillars of the four-lane Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore harbour at around 1:30 am on Tuesday, causing it to collapse.

At least two people have been rescued from the water.

At the time of the crash, workers had been on the bridge carrying out repairs on the road, Maryland's transportation secretary Paul Wiedefeld said earlier in the day, but it was not known how many people had been on the structure when almost the entire above-water section of the 2.5-kilometre-long bridge collapsed.

The Coast Guard late on Tuesday said it was only aware of six missing individuals.

Baltimore, located in the state of Maryland, is about 62 kilometres north-east of the US capital.

Shortly ahead of the collision, the crew of the cargo ship sent out a distress signal, allowing officials to stop traffic from driving onto the bridge, Maryland Governor Wes Moore said in a press conference earlier in the day.

According to initial findings, there was a problem with the ship's power supply before the accident. US media, citing the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, reported that there had been a "temporary loss of propulsion," which is why the 290-metre Singapore-flagged cargo ship Dali was unable to maintain its course.

CCTV footage circulating on social media shows the ship ramming one of the support pillars, causing large parts of the bridge to collapse into the water, with several vehicles that were on the bridge at the time plunging into the river.

The true extent of the overnight collapse only became apparent at daybreak, with the arched struts of the bridge, a major link across the harbour of the metropolis in the north-east of the US, protruding from the water like ribs.

The crew of the Dali was not harmed, the New York Times reported citing a statement by operator Synergy Group.

According to Governor Moore, the ship had been heading towards the bridge at a high speed of 8 knots.

The ship, which is operated by the charter company Synergy Group, was chartered by Maersk on a temporary basis, according to a statement from the Danish shipping giant on Tuesday. It is said to have been carrying freight from Maersk customers.

US President Joe Biden has promised swift action to expedite efforts to rebuild the bridge.

"It's my intention that federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstructing that bridge. And I expect the Congress to support my effort," Biden told a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

"Our prayers are with everyone involved in this terrible accident and all the families especially those waiting for the news of their loved one right now. I know every minute in that circumstance feels like a lifetime. I just don't know. It's just terrible."

Biden highlighted Baltimore's significance as a transport hub. "It's also the top port in America for both imports and exports of automobiles and light trucks. Around 850,000 vehicles go through that port every single year."

"And we're gonna get it up and running again as soon as possible. 15,000 jobs depend on that port and we're gonna do everything we can to protect those jobs and help those workers," he vowed.

"The bridge is also critical for travel, not just for Baltimore, but for the Northeast Corridor. Over 30,000 vehicles cross the Francis Scott Key Bridge on a daily basis."

Photo: EPA