Dramatic aerial photos reveal true extent of Baltimore Key Bridge crash

Dramatic new aerial photos have revealed the true extent of the damage after a huge container ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse into the freezing waters in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The tragic incident unfolded just before 1.30am ET local time on Tuesday morning when the Singapore-flagged Dali ship slammed into one of the bridge’s pillars.

Multiple cars were crossing over the bridge at the time, including one the size of a tractor-trailer.

Desperate rescue efforts are currently under way to find survivors in the freezing waters, with just two people pulled from the river so far and at least seven unaccounted for.

Photos show the Singapore-flagged Dali cargo ship rammed into the bridge, with parts of the mangled metal lying on top on top of the coloured containers.

Much of the bridge is submerged beneath the Patapsco River while concrete slabs lie across the ship.

See the dramatic images below: