At least six people still missing after massive cargo ship crashes into Francis Scott Key Bridge in the Baltimore harbor

A search and rescue effort is underway Tuesday after a massive cargo ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Francis Scott Key Bridge is a major bridge in the Baltimore harbor.

It happeend Tuesday morning at approximately 1:30 am when the container ship Dali, a Singapore-flagged vessel first struck the bridge according to  MarineTraffic.  It led to a near-total collapse of the span and sent vehicles plunging into the frigid water below.

According to ABC News, the ship departed from the Port of Baltimore at 1 a.m. on Tuesday, embarking on a 27-day journey to Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Approximately 30,000 vehicles cross the bridge per day, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority.

Divers and emergency personnel are desperately combing the area for people believed to have fallen from the collapsing bridge, officials said.

ABC News is reporting that at least six people are unaccounted for, according to officials.

Julia Nikhinson/Reuters

A view of the Dali cargo vessel which crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge causing it to collapse in Baltimore, March 26, 2024.

ABC News says that the container ship was moving at 8 knots, which is considered fast, according to officials They also said that the ship spans a length of 984 feet and a width of 157 feet and holds 22 crew members, all of whom are based in India.

Two people were rescued from the water, according to ABC News says.

ABC News also reported that Maryland transportation officials reviewed traffic cameras and confirmed there were "no vehicles transiting the bridge at the time of the incident," according to the latest internal Department of Homeland Security briefing. They also said that the local pilot who was at the controls is “undergoing post-accident Drug and Alcohol Testing,” according to a briefing.

A harbor pilot and assistant onboard the cargo ship reported power issues, multiple alarms on the bridge and loss of propulsion prior to the incident, according to a Coast Guard memo obtained by ABC News. All personnel on the tanker are accounted for with no reported injuries, according to the memo.

Follow ABC News for further developments.