No, the Dali was not controlled remotely when it crashed into Key Bridge | Fact check
The claim: Cargo ship was unmanned when it crashed into Key Bridge in Baltimore
A March 27 article by Real Raw News claims officials have "misrepresented facts" about the collision between the Dali cargo ship and Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
“White Hats Suggest Dali Unmanned at Time of Collision,” reads the headline.
The post was shared on Facebook more than 80 times in three days, according to CrowdTangle, a social media analytics tool.
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Our rating: False
There is no evidence the cargo ship was unmanned when it collided with the bridge. The ship's management company said 22 crew members were on board. The claim was made by a website that routinely publishes false claims.
Pilot made a distress call, crew remains on ship
The Dali, a nearly 1,000-foot-long cargo ship, careened out of control early March 26 and collided with the bridge, causing it to collapse into the river below. Two construction workers were pulled alive from the water after the collapse, but rescue workers recovered two other bodies. The last four members of the construction crew are missing and presumed dead.
The post’s claim the cargo ship was unmanned when it crashed was refuted by the ship's management company, a distress call from the ship and crew members who remain on board.
Fact check: Baltimore bridge collapse caused by accidental ship collision, not 'false flag'
Synergy Maritime says 22 crew members and two pilots were on the ship at the time of the accident. One member was taken off to receive stitches but has since returned, the New York Times reported. The crew members will remain on board indefinitely.
Officials have credited a distress call from the ship for the bridge being blocked off and almost entirely cleared of people before the crash, likely saving lives. The ship's pilot made the call, according to an NBC News report.
USA TODAY reported that the ship's crew has also communicated with a nonprofit seaman's aid service director.
Real Raw News is a website that frequently publishes fabricated stories, saying the site includes "humor, parody and satire” on its "About Us" page. The notice, however, is not included in the website’s articles, which are often shared online by people believing them to be real. USA TODAY has debunked an array of Real Raw News articles, which often include fictitious claims of “white hats” undermining conspiracies and purported corruption.
Real Raw News could not be reached for comment.
Our fact-check sources:
Synergy Marine Group, accessed March 29, “DALI”, Francis Scott Key Bridge Incident
USA TODAY, updated March 27, A giant ship. A power blackout. A scramble to stop traffic: How Baltimore bridge collapsed
USA TODAY, March 28, Dali crew still confined to ship ? with no internet. They could be 'profoundly rattled.'
NBC News, March 26, A rare mayday preceded Baltimore bridge collapse: 'I couldn't think of a worse situation'
New York Times, March 28. What We Know About the Crew on the Ship That Hit the Baltimore Bridge
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dali crew was on board when ship collided in Baltimore | Fact check