A total of 56 containers on board the ship were carrying 764 tons of hazardous materials, including corrosives, flammables and lithium-ion batteries.
Hazardous materials have leaked into the Patapsco River after a container ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday.
The Singapore-flagged vessel was on its way to Sri Lanka when it hit the bridge early on Tuesday morning. Cameras captured the moment the structure collapsed, as a fire broke out on the ship and vehicles slid into the water.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said on Wednesday that a number of the containers were breached and a “sheen” had been identified in the water, which she said will be dealt with by the federal, state and local authorities.
She added that the NTSB’s investigation into the incident will be a “massive undertaking” and could take between 12 and 24 months. However, she said that a preliminary report is expected in the next few weeks and the agency will issue urgent safety recommendations.
