#Francis Scott

[astoriavincent]

Let's 👏 talk 👏 about 👏 the continental 👏 tv series👏

[deeptrashwitch]

Part eleven, Private Francis Scott

Lights, camera, action!

The beggining (part 11)

-Stop looking at me that way-said Alicia on Jackson, Edward and Luke's direction-wasn't that bad

-You got stabbed-said the medic definitely not impressed-and you patched yourself, you're no medic, Captain

-It was just a day

-And we only knew because the stitches broke

-Listen, it's fine. This is not the first time I have to cure my own wounds, it would have been fine

-That's not the point-intervened Luke dead serious-you got that during our mission, you could've died if it was deeper. Why on earth didn't you go to the medic tent there?

-I don't need this-said while getting up to get her jacket-we still busy, let's move

Then Edward stopped her, looking her in the eye surprisingly angry. Even Alicia raised an eyebrow, there wasn't a time she can think of Edward this way. With a sigh just looked at the three of them and none looked exactly keen on letting her go soon.

-Alright, seem like we're having this conversation. Talk then

-Why are you so calm? You had a stab on your side, that's no little deal-growled Edward just to hear a bitter laugh

-Again, it's not the first time-answered Alicia calm but coldly-I've had worst things than this and we have things to do

-You still human, it should've hurt

-It did, and it's nothing new

-Why you had a stab?-asked Luke

-The objective had a hidden knife, he tried to defend himself in the end. You saw it

-I was never informed by you about that

-I didn't see it as something important at the time

-Well it is, how come that no one noticed?

-You should know better than everyone else, Leticia, Colombia. Jungle phase

-You already had patch it up by that time, huh?

-I did-said, raising an eyebrow again-that's why they teach that

-No, it was meant to be used when we don't have options, not this

-Still handy on this situations

-I know, but you should've told us-said Jackson with professionalism-if you came here the first time I asked you, this wouldn't have happened. What if it got infected? If it broke while we were on Camp Lejeune? Or during the flight? Captain, it's your health what we're talking about. That's why I'm here, so let me do my work

Everything remained silent during a second and the environment was tense. And Alicia sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

-...That's all? We ended here?

That irritated the three of them, even Jackson just sighed filled of tiredness. He never expected that his Captain was this kind of patient, it would be really difficult to work. On the other hand Edward just looked at her, not angry anymore, frustrated. But Luke?

Oh, Luke was angry and worried. And they saw the anger on his eyes.

-"That's all"? Is that all you gonna say, Captain?-asked the red-haired, livid-you could've died, and this is your only response? We're worried for you and you don't seem to care. And you know what? This isn't about the wound, it's worrying though, but it's not about it. It's the fact that you don't trust us

Alicia didn't say anything, but frowned slightly.

-You told us from the very beggining, we should trust eachother blindfolded and hand tied. And yet, you don't trust us enough to let us know that you got hurt and can die. Then what? Shall we trust eachother but not you? Is that? How are we supposed to cover your six and trust you to cover us? We can't if you hide things from us, what if you decide to hide something about the mission and that end up tragically?

-Don't you dare suggest that-barked Alicia, standing up abruptly with rage-I warn you, Michaelis, don't go there

-You wanted me to stop you when you were doing stupid shit, and that's what I'm doing. This is THAT kind of bullshit, you're putting this team on risk-hissed the Lieutenant frowning-and you were right before, I care as much as you do about this soldiers. So I won't let you put them on risk because you don't trust enough to not hide things

The Lieutenant and the Captain looked at eachother with frustration and anger, but Luke noticed it wouldn't end well if they start a real fight. So he sighed and stood firm.

-If you excuse me, ma'am

After that the red-haired walked out of the medic bay and Alicia clicked her tongue before running a hand through her hair.

-For the first time in years, I'm not on your side-said Edward as he extended her the jacket-Luke's right, we trust on you, but do you trust us?

She didn't answer, just took the garment and left almost fuming. Jackson shook his head before going to update her medical record, while Edward sighed and left after give a pat on the shoulder to his co-worker. From then on it was awkward to be near the two officials, even if they work as good as usual, but there was something else.

Everyone were on their nerves and walking on eggshells. It went to the point that Wraith had to intervene and soon both of them were called to her office. They didn't saw eachother, just looked to the front with a stone face while Wraith felt the urge to strangle them.

-You need to cut the crap-said the Coordinator pissed-you're affecting your own work

-We work as good as usual, Dominique-answered Alicia without reacting

-I don't mean that, the base feels like a damn warzone

Again they didn't say anything and didn't react, they just looked to their Coordinator.

-Why everyone on this place is emotionally constipated?-muttered the agent frustrated before getting up-you know what? Fix this shit now, we have enough things in our hands and I don't need you two treating eachother like you're enemies

Even then, they remained silent and Wraith felt her eyebrow twich because of the anger.

-I have the last member, Blackwell's recommendation, and you'll go tomorrow to talk to him-ordered looking both of them in the eye-Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. And if you even try to enter here before you solve your shit, you won't find a place that open the doors to you

-You can't assure that-said Alicia while her arms tensed-this is our base, you don't have the permission to lock us out

-Oh, don't I? I remind you, Alicia, that this team has two leaders. You and me. And I have the same authority to dictate who enters and who don't. You know by now that my threats are not a bluff

-So this was it. I asked you on Camp Pendelton what was the trick and you said none-growled the Captain-because it wasn't a trick, you use this authority of yours as a leash

-You made me do it

-Hmm, this time I did, but tell me, Wraith. Will it be the case everytime? Or you just want to be sure I won't rip your head off?

Wraith didn't answer and just keep the eye contact, almost frowning for the indiference in her face.

-And so you know, you are our Coordinator-said with a sigh and a little smirk-but the true leaders of this team are Lieutenant Michaelis and I, not you. I'll go to Pearl Harbor, and be back soon

-I'll go too-said Luke after remaining in silence all the conversation-and I hope and expect that the doors aren't closed when we come back

That made Dominique to look the Ranger, just to feel other chill on her spine. Often she focus on the danger that the Captain of the team represented, but she forgets about the rest of that team. They are as dangerous as Alicia, and maybe the most dangerous behind her is Luke. A Ranger, a Lancero, one of the best soldiers she has ever seen.

And now he was furious and offended, looking at her with a neutral expression but his eyes filled of anger. Inside the office the environment was so tense that they could cut the air.

-Just go to Pearl Harbor

-Yes Wraith-said both at the same time

And so, once they both departed to Hawaii, everyone inside the base sighed in relief, at least for a little time. Meanwhile the Captain and the Lieutenant were, some time later, arriving to Hawaii and going to the famous Pearl Harbor. They noticed all the tourists around the museum, and the loud comments, the tours starting. Fortunately no one asked them for nothing while they walked to the naval base.

Inside they found soon the person they were looking for, a cartographer. The name was Francis Scott. And once he saw them, the soldier smiled and walk towards them quickly.

-Ma'am, sir-said the SEAL with the salute and a smile-you might be the people Wraith was talking about

-Are you Francis Scott?-asked Alicia raising an eyebrow-rest, soldier

-That's me. SEAL Team 2, it's an honor to meet you

-It's a pleasure, Captain Alicia Marchant, Lieutenant Luke Michaelis

The red-haired nodded without a word, but the three of them talked for a moment, with the SEAL excited and asking a lot of things. At least until Francis superior called him to discuss some maps they had. He excused himself with some shyness before going, and the other two just stayed there in silence for a moment.

-He's surprisingly optimistic-muttered Luke raising an eyebrow-I'm used to find people like most of us, cynical or tired

-Yeah, that's the usual menu in here, but is a good change to see someone like him-said the black-haired woman with a sigh before looking at her clock-that reunion probably will last some hours, we should go and eat something since is lunch time

Luke nodded again and they went to one of the tables near the beach, ignoring the multitude. The Lieutenant went to order food for both of them, while Alicia went for something to drink, comtemplating the beach and all the people there. She ordered two beers before waiting until they serve the drinks.

The woman just stared the clear horizon while thinking about the last few days. She silently thought on what to do, but just shook her head while the bartender gave her the drinks. Back with the red-haired she just stood there for a second, then sighed again and gave him one of the bottles.

They remained just there for a second, surrounded for an unconfortable silence.

-...You know, about what happened-muttered Alicia without looking at her Lieutenant-it's not because I don't trust you

-Then what was it?-asked the red-haired calmly

-My own head

-Huh? So it's because of a memory?

-Kind of, just a hard time I try to fight

-...Why? Why hide it?

-Because I don't want anyone sacrifying more time for me

-What do you mean?

-Years ago, people I cherised did that-admited while letting the sadness took over her face and tone-they gave up their future for me, and I don't want any of you doing the same. You're all brilliant, way more promising that I've ever been

-That means you saw the talent, after all you recruited us for this

-Maybe that's the only thing I can do

-Alicia...

-So that was it, I trust you Luke, and I trust our team with every single cell of my body. But if to stop the history to repeat itself I have to die in silence...so be it. None of you should loose your future because of me-said sadly while drinking-sorry for the attitude before

-No, I'm sorry too, I was being insubordinated and didn't even bother to try and talk to you in private-muttered Luke with a bitter smile-but if it helps to hear it, we won't loose the future we have. 'Know why? Because we all know that you are as good as us if not more. We'll be fine, Alicia, but you too need to understand that....we are special forces, we are hard as steel, we won't die that easily

That made the black-haired smile and they just gently clinked the bottles in a toast.

-Thanks Luke

-No worries, that's why I'm here

-Now let's eat, I'm starving

-Yes please, this things cost me $20 EACH

-They scammed you-muttered Alicia while starting to eat

The lunch passed as usual with some cranky jokes on Luke's part, but soon they went back to the base while talking. And like since the beggining, they were guided to a conference room. It was the usual, so recurrent that they just shared a look and chuckled while they sat to wait.

Francis got inside soon, and saluted them again with a smile as they started to talk again. They told him about the team, the members and all the things he needed to know, to which the cartographer heard concentrated. He asked more things, like the range of action of the team, the dinamic with Wraith and more.

Both answer some questions, and told him that others should be discussed inside Black Tomb. The talk lasted for a while before the SEAL accepted the invitation, excited and interested to become part of the Specters as both officials smiled with amusement as they get out of the place. Alicia and Luke walked through the base in silence, thinking about the new guy, an unusual one to be honest.

Then Alicia's phone rang and it was Nicholas.

-Fowlett, what is it?-asked with curiosity

-Captain, we have a problem, a big one-said the man uneasy

-Talk to me

-Is about the trial, Elijah told us that his lawyer was on the fifth session and right now we had an update. It's on the news, they made a declaration to the public and the thing it's about what they say. The declaration says that all it's a lie created out of resentment, because the superiors didn't promoted the supposed "victims"

When Alicia heard that, her blood boiled as she squeezed the phone, but she sighed trying to control her temper.

-Do we know who made the declaration?

-The three of them, same story, same details, too planned if you ask me

-...How's Elijah?

-In the middle of a anxiety attack, Jackson is with him now

-We'll go back to the base as soon as we can-muttered with a worried frown-hold in there

-Shall we do something?

-Tell Wraith to start to get prepared, Jackson and Edward must stay with Elijah, you and Noah make a reunion with the lawyer and go to talk with him about all this

-Yes ma'am

-Keep me informed

After that, she hung up and made a sign to the Lieutenant to go, that alerted Luke. While they were going to the airport to get the earlier flight back to Texas, she explained him what Nicholas told. And the man was furious once again, looking for the news while waiting and cursing when he found the damned note and declaration.

On the other hand Alicia just read it in silence, without changing her expression. As they were called to board she went to her messages, again to her sister and wrote three words before turning off the phone during the flight.

"Fire at will."

[sweet-vanilla-sims]

1500-1599 Recap Part 36:

As the Recap now has nearly 40 Parts I am starting to feel like maybe, just maybe, there is little point to a recap if it’s nearly as long as the actual Legacy. 

Agnes and Stephen had their daughter Amy, who died shortly after birth. Andrew had left for Windenburg Then Francis, Elinor and Mathias became adults. Anthony met Wren and got married. Lot happened. Anthony actually had no interest in romancing anyone but being the eldest and technical heir to the family not the legacy, he married anyways. With the only surviving spellcasters of Thomas’ children being Adrian and Ambrose my choice of heir was mostly decided lol. 

[ralfmaximus]

There is some pretty shocking footage out there of the Baltimore bridge collapse early this morning. I've already seen some incredibly wrong, incredibly insensitive Hot Takes about how shitty the bridge was to have fallen after being bonked by a boat, etc

Please don't be that person.

The facts will come out. Speculation is silly. In addition to loss of life, the Francis Scott Key bridge was a major arterial in that region's highway system. Its loss will be felt for years, and not just to daily commuters.

Baltimore harbor is closed. No shipping at all. This will impact supply chains in ways we cannot even assess yet.

It's pretty fucked up.

[bulletines-news]

Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse in Baltimore: A Tragic Maritime Incident

[odinsblog]

The crew of a massive container ship that crashed into the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday warned of power issues before the collision, which caused the bridge to collapse into the frigid Patapsco River, officials said.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said the warning from the ship’s crew likely saved lives.

“We’re thankful that between the mayday and the collapse, that we had officials who were able to begin to stop the flow of traffic so more cars were not on the bridge,” Moore said. He called those officials heroes.

Moore noted that the bridge was up to code at the time of the collapse. He said the collapse was a “shocking and heartbreaking” event for the people of Maryland who have used the bridge for 47 years.

(continue reading)

[vaspider]

Please be careful when engaging with this news. The video is fucking terrifying. This is likely to be a mass casualty event. There are cars in the water.

This bridge is 1200 meters long. Even at 3:30 am, there are a lot of vehicles on it.

Fuck.

[slyandthefamilybook]

okay because I'm seeing some misinfo, here's the story on the Key Bridge collapse

What was the Key Bridge?

The Francis Scott Key Bridge (also called the Key Bridge, the Beltway Bridge, and the Outer Harbor Crossing) was steel-arch continuous-through-truss bridge spanning the Patapsco River south of the Baltimore Harbor. The bridge took 5 years to build and cost an estimated $145 million ($735 million in today's dollars). The full bridge project (including approaches) was 10.9 miles long, but the stretch over the Patapsco was 1.6 miles long and 4 lanes wide, and comprised a length of I-695, the Baltimore Beltway. It traveled between Hawkins Point and Dundalk, and in addition to the I-895 Harbor Tunnel was the primary way for Marylanders to cross from the Eastern Shore to the West. The bridge carried an estimated 11.5 million vehicles per year. There is a lane for ships to pass under the Key Bridge with enough clearance.

Was it structurally sound?

The bridge received its latest inspection in 2022 and received a 6/9 score, which is considered "fair" by federal standards. There was a concern with one of its columns, which was downgraded from a health index of 77.8 to 65.9, but it is not clear yet if this was one of the columns struck by the ship. In 1980 the bridge was struck by a different cargo ship which destroyed a concrete support structure, but the bridge itself was unharmed. There is as of yet no evidence that the bridge collapsed because of poor condition. Experts say the lesson to be learned is about the size and weight of modern cargo ships, and that the bridge was not to blame. Engineers have noted, however, that the bridge's piers lacked protective devices such as fenders.

What was the ship?

The MV Dali is a container ship flying the Singapore flag. It is owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and operated by Synergy Marine Group Ltd. The ship is currently being chartered by Maersk, a Dutch shipping company. It was built in 2015 by Hyundai. The ship is 980 feet long and 157 feet wide. The ship's gross tonnage (its internal volume) is 95,128 tons (190,256,000 pounds). Its deadweight (the weight of cargo it can carry) is 116,851 tons (233,702,000 pounds). The ship was carrying 3,000 containers. The engine is a MAN-B&W 9S90ME putting out 41,480 kilowatts (55,626 horsepower).

Over its lifetime the Dali has been inspected 27 times, and only 2 faults were ever found. On June 27, 2023 the Dali was held in port in Chile due to an issue with the propulsion system. According to an inspector the pressure gauges on the heating system were "unreadable". The fault was fixed before the ship left port.

The Dali is crewed by 22 Indian nationals including 2 maritime pilots.

What happened?

The Dali arrived at the Port of Baltimore on March 23, 2024. At 12:44 AM on March 26, 2024 the Dali left port, beginning its journey to Colombo, Sri Lanka. At 01:26 AM the ship suffered a "complete blackout" and began to drift out of the shipping lane. It is not yet known what caused the electrical failure. The backup generator did not power the propulsion system. At around 01:26 AM the crew of the Dali sent a mayday distress call to the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) informing them of the loss of power and that a collision with the Key Bridge was possible. The anchors were dropped as an emergency measure to attempt to slow or stop the vessel. At the request of one of the pilots traffic flow over the bridge was immediately halted. Black smoke was seen coming from the Dali, which experts believe was the result of the crew managing to restart the power system to regain some maneuvering capability.

At 01:28 AM the Dali, traveling at 8 knots (considered to be a fast speed) collided with a support strut beneath the Key Bridge's metal truss at the southwest end of the bridge. A Baltimore resident said he heard the collision and that it "felt like an earthquake". Emergency teams began receiving 911 calls at 01:30 AM, and the Baltimore Police Department were alerted at 01:35 AM. One of the officers present radioed that he was going to go onto the bridge to alert the construction crew as soon as a second officer arrived, but the bridge collapsed seconds later.

What was the damage?

The Key Bridge has completely collapsed. The metal truss relies on structural tension from the bridge itself to maintain its rigidity. As soon as one of the support columns was destroyed, the rest of the bridge quickly followed.

The damage to the Dali is reported as minimal. The ship was impaled by the bridge's structure above the waterline, but has maintained watertight integrity. The crew has not reported any water contamination from its 1.8 million gallons of marine fuel. 13 containers carrying potentially hazardous material were damaged, and are being inspected by a team of Coast Guard divers. At least 5 vehicles including 3 passenger cars and a cement mixer were detected underwater, but authorities do not believe they were occupied

Who was hurt?

The crew of the Dali reports no casualties, except one crewmember who was hospitalized for minor injuries. There was a crew of 8 construction workers on the Key Bridge filling in potholes. 2 were immediately pulled from the water by rescue crews, with 1 being rushed to emergency care and the other reporting minor injuries and refusing treatment. The hospitalized worker has since been discharged. 1 of those rescued was Mexican. The remaining 6 remain missing. Of those 6, 2 have been identified:

Miguel Luna from El Salvador

Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval from Honduras

Of the remaining 4, 2 are Guatemalan nationals. Neither have been identified, but the Guatemalan Foreign Affairs Ministry has stated that they were a 26-year-old from San Luis, Petén, and a 35-year-old from Camotán, Chiquimula. The other 2 are presumed to be Mexican.

Rescue Efforts

The Coast Guard was immediately deployed for search-and-rescue operations. Military Blackhawk helicopters were seen over the river. Rescue efforts were ended at 07:30 PM on March 26, 2024 due to darkness, fog, and cold temperatures. Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said "Based on the length of time that we've gone in the search, the extensive search efforts that we put into it, the water temperature -- at this point, we do not believe that we're going to find any of these individuals still alive". Recovery operations resumed at 07:30 AM on March 27, 2024 with all 6 workers presumed dead.

No divers have yet entered the water underneath the bridge. Supervisory Special Agent Brian Hudson of the FBI's Underwater Search and Evidence Response Team said "the debris field is pretty sizable and I know that’s why they’re hesitant to send divers down because some of the debris is still shifting, the heavy weight of the rocks". The FBI has deployed Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) equipped with cameras and SONAR.

Aftermath

At 05:08 AM on March 26, 2024 Transportation Secretary Pete Buttegiege posted on X (formerly Twitter):

"I’ve spoken with Gov. Moore and Mayor Scott to offer USDOT’s support following the vessel strike and collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge. Rescue efforts remain underway and drivers in the Baltimore area should follow local responder guidance on detours and response."

At 07:30 AM on March 27, 2024 President of the Maryland State Senate Bill Ferguson posted on X (formerly Twitter):

"Over 15,000 in the Balt region rely on daily operations at Port of Baltimore to put food on the table. Today, with Del. @LukeClippinger and colleagues representing Port, we are drafting an emergency bill to provide for income replacement for workers impacted by this travesty."

At around 09:40 AM on March 26, 2024 Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott declared a State of Emergency to take effect at 10:30 AM March 26, 2024, and to last 30 days. Baltimore's Emergency Operations Plan was put into effect.

More than 1,000 personnel from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have been deployed to assist with clearing the debris and rebuilding efforts. President Joe Biden has pledged that the federal government will pay for the entire reconstruction of the bridge.

Jennifer Homendy, the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recovered the Dali's data recorder, and will be inspecting both the Key Bridge and the Dali to determine the cause of the crash and the collapse. She says the investigation could take up to 2 years to complete.

Was it intentional?

According to William DelBagno, head of the FBI's Baltimore field office: "There is no specific or credible information to suggest there are ties to terrorism in this incident".

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said: "There are no indications this was an intentional act".

At least 3 people have been killed in accidents related to ships operated by Synergy in the past 6 years. In 2018 a person on board a Synergy ship in Australia was killed in an accident relating to the vessel's personnel elevator. In 2019 an officer aboard a Synergy vessel in Singapore fell overboard while performing maintenance. In 2023 at least one sailor was killed when a Synergy ship collided with a dredging ship in the Philippines. In the first two cases safety inspectors noted that proper safety procedures had not been adhered to.

Sources

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

[reality-detective]

An alternate angle on the Francis Scott Key Bridge shows what appears to be a large explosion, which you can see 👀 from the other angles I posted. Something reeks like a possible Black Swan Event?

Does it seem like a barge bumping into a pillar would cause the whole bridge to collapse? 🤔

[mariagalleriax]

Man fucking Bungou Stray Dogs, how the FUCK am I supposed to explain the plot to anyone anymore.

"This broke ass twink finds out he's a tiger, gets semi-adopted/hired by a band of traumatized ability users (read a book to understand each one), BUT WAIT, there's an EVIL group of ability users with MORE traumatized bisexuals. Uh oh, tiger twink has a rival (they both have daddy issues), wait is that the AMERICANS PLANNING TO BOMB JAPAN WITH A FLYING WHALE??!! Here's the fucking thinker over here (read: Dazai[Ranpo]). Let's take ibuprofen together. Okay Mr. Fitzgerald is gone (not really, you can't get rid of him)- SHIT it's the RUSSIANS!! Who is that rat? It's FYODOR DOSTOEVSKY?! He's ALSO the thinker. NOOO grandpa soukoku don't die!! Shin Soukoku epic montage. Cool, we're safe- JUST KIDDING!! THERE'S A BOOK THAT RE-WRITES SHIT AND THE RAT HAS IT AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT! "and I, Lelouch Vi Britanni- I mean Fukuchi Ouchi, will nuke the earth using my vampire army with security clearance from the United Nations. I hope my ex-husband Suzaku Kururugi Fukuzawa Yukichi doesn't try to stop me!"

[ireton]

Time lapse footage - Francis Scott Key Bridge when it collapsed.

A representative from Brawner Builders, Inc. said the company had a construction crew on the Francis Scott Key Bridge when it collapsed.

[liberalsarecool]

Hard-working humble men make America great.

[deeptrashwitch]

So...I made this while I was on class.

It probably doesn't look so good because my camera and that I don't know really how to draw. But I had the idea running all over my head today and it felt nice to let it be.

This is the badge of Specters/Team Charlie. And their motto is "fast foward, no rest".

Hope you like the draw 👍🏽

[sweet-vanilla-sims]

1500-1599 Recap Part 35:

With all of generation three born at this point, birthdays were basically all that happened next. 

Also toddler spam that is vital to any legacy. Cannot forget that. 

[ralfmaximus]

Some corrections to minor misinformation I keep seeing repeated:

the MV Dali ship that took down the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore is a full size, sea going cargo ship. Not a barge

It carries between 95,000 and 150,000 tons of cargo. Not pounds. TONS

No bridge we know how to make can withstand that kind of mass driven into it at speed sideways. Bridges are designed to handle mostly vertical forces. It's not the bridge's fault

The bridge was not "old and falling down". It was completed in 1977, which makes it a youngster as far as steel truss bridges go

None of this was a terrorist attack. The ship lost power at the worst possible moment during normal operations

None of this was due to "the border crisis" (shut up Fox News)

None of this was due to DEI (shut the fuck up Fox News)

No, tug boats were not "missing" or required for the operation. Tug boats are typically only used to dock/undock large ships in Baltimore, not escort them once they are in the channel

[robotpussy]

"Baltimore'e Francis Scott Key bridge collapses after ship collision"

source

this is so scary, all those people that must have been on the bridge!!!!