NEW YORK, March 26. /TASS/. The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed after being struck by a container ship, hurtling several automobiles into the river below, the Maryland Transportation Authority reported.

"I-695 Key Bridge collapse[s] due to ship strike," the state transportation agency said on its page on the X social network. Traffic on all lanes of Interstate 695 in both directions has been closed; all traffic is being detoured.

Numerous videos and photos of the bridge collapsing have been posted to social media. They show a large container ship headed directly toward one of the bridge’s support columns before colliding with it. After the collision, the bridge started collapsing and several automobiles traveling over it fell into the Patapsco River below, along with metal structures.

According to CBS News, at least seven people may be in the water. The Baltimore Fire Department told CBS that it is already on the scene and is conducting a search for these individuals.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott said on his X page that he is "aware of and en route to the incident at the Key Bridge." He added that first responders are already working at the site.

Representatives of the city's harbor patrol told WTOP radio that the cargo ship that hit the Key Bridge was sailing under the flag of Singapore. According to ship route monitoring sites, the container vessel, the Dali, was headed to Colombo, Sri Lanka, via Baltimore.