The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed after a container ship hit a pylon on Tuesday morning, causing six people to fall into the cold waters and be presumed dead. It is said that the officials promptly halted the bridge operations after receiving a mayday call from the ship, which is believed to have prevented several injuries.
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Like the rest of the world, Baltimore’s star Lamar Jackson has extended his condolences to the families affected by the unfortunate tragedy. The former NFL MVP tweeted on X:
“For the people and their families that was a part of the collapsing Bridge in Baltimore my heart, thoughts and prayers are with you all…”
One of the fans expressed appreciation for Lamar Jackson’s tweet by commenting, “Respect Lamar – not even the President has made a statement.” Following the collapse, search operations started to look for vehicles and people who were still missing. Baltimore’s Governor Moore confirmed that the bridge met all regulations prior to the crash and had no structural issues. Moreover, there is no sign that the crash was an act of terrorism.
President Joe Biden has not made any official statement yet, but reports by Rediff.com indicate Biden made comments in the White House after being briefed about the situation promptly. “This was a terrible accident. At this time, we have no other indication, no other reason to believe if there is any intentional act here,” he said.
Additionally, reopening one of the busiest ports on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard could experience considerable delays. The tragedy became a hotspot for outlandish conspiracy theories almost immediately.
Outlandish Conspiracy Theories Surface After Baltimore Bridge Collapses
Online conspiracy theories emerged in the wake of the Baltimore Bridge collapse, proposing cyberattacks or Covid-era lockdowns as potential reasons. Fact-checkers have disproved these theories due to the absence of evidence. Nevertheless, there are still people who persist in spreading false information.
Public figures, like Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo, also spotlighted conspiracy theories surrounding the Baltimore Bridge collapse. Bartiromo wrongly suggested a relationship between the crash and immigration, even though authorities did not make that connection, as per NBC.
Controversial influencer Andrew Tate promoted a conspiracy theory claiming the ship was “cyber-attacked.” He indicated a video demonstrating the ship’s lights briefly shutting off just before the collision. However, the video only shows regular fluctuations in brightness and does not corroborate the assertion of a cyber assault.
Promoting unfounded theories about the Baltimore Bridge collapse only worsens division and fear. Although there is no proof for these conspiracies, these types of posts still attract millions of clicks, continuing to spread panic.
