People on social media are saying the Voyage Data Recorder, aka black box, recovered from the Dali ship that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing its collapse, could be missing a few minutes of data. However, after searching for news articles providing information on that, there isn’t any substantial information to suggest information is missing. That could all change after officials conduct more investigations into the collapse.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy spoke to reporters about the Dali black box and said it’s a somewhat new VDR model. She said it’s similar to the black box an aircraft may have but that the VDR on the ship was less complete than an aircraft, according to SeaTrade Maritime News. She also said the NTSB wants more data recorded by these black boxes, and that “NTSB is looking for other sources of information in the engine room to supplement the VDR data and get a fuller picture of engineering systems, power distribution, and engine data.”
Now here’s the kicker. Homendy said the information on the Dali black box is “consistent” with a power outage, but does not “confirm” a power outage. Now that it’s been said, you can expect people to run wild with their own stories on this one. It’s best to wait until more further investigations into the black box and Francis Scott Key Bridge is conducted and reported.
The Baltimore Banner reported on the Dali ship crash that caused the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, saying the following in a news article:
The Dali suffered an apparent propulsion issue in the minutes before it hit a support pylon for the bridge. Video of the incident shows the ship appear to lose power twice in the moments before it hit the bridge. Ship tracking data also shows the Dali began to veer off course in the minutes before. Black smoke could be seen spewing from the vessel, although it’s unclear if that was due to a mechanical issue or the crew attempting to brake by throwing the engine in reverse.
Federal authorities have shared little information about what may have caused malfunctions aboard the ship. “The NTSB doesn’t speculate,” Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said about the status of her agency’s inquiry. “We provide facts.”
