'They need to pay': Internet weighs in as Joe Biden says federal government will rebuild Baltimore bridge

WASHINGTON, DC: President Joe Biden has pledged support for the reconstruction of the Francis Scott  Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, following its collapse on Tuesday, March 26.

Hours after the incident, Biden said during a press conference that the federal government will be paying for the "entire cost of reconstructing that bridge," adding, "And I expect Congress to support my effort," according to Newsweek.

What led to the Baltimore Bridge collapse?

While sailing out of Baltimore, a Singapore-flagged Dali smashed into the bridge, causing extensive damage and prompting a search and rescue operation as several cars and people were sent into the river below.

Following the collapse, the bridge will be closing one of the busiest ports on the US Eastern Seaboard.

Struck by the massive cargo which is a 985-foot-long, 157 feet wide vessel, the bridge collapsed at 1.30 am.

The Dali was set to depart the harbor en route to Sri Lanka for a 27-day voyage.

One body found, six people reported missing following the Baltimore Bridge collapse

According to the Daily Mail, one body has reportedly been found more than nine hours after the collision.

Six construction workers part of a road repair crew were reported missing and several vehicles plummeted into the Patapsco River following the crash.

As per Maryland's transportation secretary Paul J Wiedefeld, the US Coast Guard and additional agencies are searching for the workers who were reported missing.

Wiedefeel said two others were rescued and one of the individuals was shifted to a local hospital.

How long will the port of Baltimore remain closed?

The collision led to the suspension of ship traffic which threatened to disrupt the supply chain for various goods including coal, vehicles, and commodities like sugar.

As per port data, the Port of Baltimore which is the busiest US port for car shipments handled more than 750,000 vehicles in 2022.

Experts warn that being one of the US East Coast's major ports, the closure has potential bottlenecks and increased costs along the Eastern seaboard.

Internet wants Dali ship's insurance to pay for the Baltimore bridge reconstruction

At the press conference on Tuesday, March 26, Biden was asked if the company that chartered the Dali ship that caused the collision should be held responsible for funding the rebuilding of the bridge.

"We're not going to wait for that to happen," he responded, adding, "We're gonna pay to get the bridge rebuilt and reopened," he added.

However, netizens are not satisfied with Biden's decision.

"Shouldn’t the ship's insurance pay for this? Why do taxpayers have to pay to rebuild a bridge that was hit by a ship? #baltimorebridge," a user wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

"Oh, because foreign ships that destroy US bridges shouldn’t have to carry insurance to cover their damages?" a user tweeted.

"Time to collect that container ship's insurance!" a netizen wrote while another user opined, "What? Why would the shipping company not pay for this? The ship caused the damage, not the taxpayer. They need to pay. Biden is so clueless."

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