Overview
- The safety board concluded a mislabeled signal wire left a loose connection that caused the Dali’s blackout, cutting propulsion and steering minutes before the ship hit a Key Bridge pier and the span collapsed.
- NTSB investigators said recovery systems were misconfigured, a flushing pump was improperly used and failed to restart automatically, and operator oversight and inspections were inadequate to catch the fault.
- Officials determined the Maryland Transportation Authority had not conducted a vulnerability assessment or installed sufficient countermeasures, and highway workers on the bridge received no effective evacuation warning.
- The NTSB issued new safety recommendations and highlighted 68 bridges in 19 states for urgent risk assessments due to similar exposure to large vessel strikes.
- Maryland raised its rebuild estimate to $4.3–$5.2 billion with traffic reopening expected in late 2030, citing higher material costs, a longer and higher design, and a more robust pier protection system.