Nigel Farage is threatening to eat a whole Easter egg on Sunday to stick it to “NHS luvvies” in the latest piece of performative outrage about “wokery”.
It follows Dr Andrew Kelso, the medical director of NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board, advising people to “resist the urge” and not “overdo it” by eating an Easter egg in one sitting, due to the high calorie count of the chocolate.
“Many people don’t realise that an average Easter egg contains around three quarters of an adult’s recommended daily calorie intake,” Kelso wrote.
“At a time like this, when we are seeing significant increases in cases of obesity and type 2 diabetes, as well as tooth decay, I urge people to enjoy their Easter eggs in moderation and resist the urge to eat a whole one in one go.”
Predictably, the former UKIP leader defied the advice on his GB News show – eating a chocolate egg has he raged against the suggestion.
He said: “I am sick to death of being told we can’t do this, we can’t do that, it’s Easter for goodness sake.
“I’m sorry, Dr Kelso, but you really bore the pants off me, it’s Easter, I don’t eat chocolate everyday, but I’m going to scoff all of this (egg).”
He followed this up with a furious screed in the Telegraph under the headline: “I’m stuffing my face with chocolate this Easter – to annoy the NHS luvvies”.
The reaction on social media suggested most people thought it was yet more tiresome “culture war” schtick.
Kristen Stewart would only make a comic book movie if one director was involved.
The former Twilight actor has spent more than a decade opting for projects a million miles from the franchise that made her a star.
While even her former co-star Robert Pattinson has since joined the superhero fray, Kristen would only follow suit if a singular vision was at the helm.
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“I will likely never do a Marvel movie … That sounds like a fucking nightmare, actually,” she said on Tuesday’s episode of the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast.
“If Greta Gerwig asked me to do a Marvel movie, then I would do it,” she added later.
While she’s grateful for her breakout role in the billion-dollar vampire romance franchise, Kristen argued in her latest interview that “big movies” can impede directors from their creative vision — and is only drawn to them because she likes “people to watch them when I’m in them”.
“The system would have to change,” she added. “You’d have to put so much money and so much into one person and … it doesn’t happen. And so therefore what ends up happening is this algorithmic, weird experience where you can’t feel personal at all about it.”
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Kristen certainly isn’t the first artist to feel that way.
Directors like Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino, as well as actors including Nicolas Cage and Ethan Hawke, have previously echoed the same sentiment about these “big movies” — the blinding spotlight of which Kristen has also already experienced.
The Oscar nominee was only 18 when Twilight, adapted from a Stephanie Meyer novel for young adults, launched her into stardom. The five-film franchise grossed more than $3.3 billion worldwide and made Kristen, Robert and co-star Taylor Lautner into unwitting sex symbols.
Kristen has since starred mostly in more adult dramas, but remains open to anything.
“I’m a yes man,” she said on the podcast before expounding. “The path that has been carved by my life — both the ways in which I’ve controlled that and also the ways that it has just fallen off the truck — it would be so stupid to ever be like, ‘Yes. No. Yes’.”
The four-day Easter weekend is a high-point of the year, allowing us to get out in the world, catch up with friends we haven’t seen in a while or maybe even take a little trip to make the most out of all that time off.
For some of us, that is. For others, it’s the chance to catch up on some much-needed rest, spending all that extra time in the most low-key way possible.
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If you fall into the latter camp, it’s understandable that you might find yourself at a bit of a loose end when it comes to passing the time. Or, of course, it could be that you have children to keep occupied for that loooong Bank Holiday weekend.
Either way, it could come as a relief to hear that there are plenty of classic films worth tuning in for on TV between Good Friday and Easter Monday. Here are 20 of our personal highlights…
Mrs Doubtfire
Robin Williams in Mrs Doubtfire
Moviestore/Shutterstock
What’s it all about? Robin Williams takes the lead in this much-loved family comedy about a man who goes incognito as an elderly woman a thousand miles away from his real self in a bid to spend more time with his kids.
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Perfect for: Getting everyone together to kick the long weekend off with plenty of big laughs.
When’s it on? Good Friday at 11am on Film4
Kung Fu Panda
Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman are among the A-listers whose voices appear in Kung Fu Panda
Dreamworks/Kobal/Shutterstock
What’s it all about? From the team behind Shrek and Madagascar, this star-studded animated comedy introduces us to a hapless, martial arts-loving panda who finds himself embarking on a kung fu quest.
Perfect for: Keeping younger viewers amused for a couple of hours. If they enjoy it, follow-up movie Kung Fu Panda 2 is on later in the weekend, too.
When’s it on? Good Friday at 12.30pm on Channel 4
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit
The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit marked the first feature-length outing for the iconic Wallace & Gromit
What’s it all about? Hilarious, silly and surprisingly gripping, The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit is arguably the jewel in Wallace & Gromit’s crown.
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Perfect for: If you’re in the mood for revisiting a dependable classic that’s guaranteed to deliver on laughs and heart-warming moments.
When’s it on? Good Friday at 2.15pm on BBC One
Hop
The family comedy Hop is particularly timely for Easter weekend
Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
What’s it all about? The next-in-line to take over the Easter Bunny throne decides he’s not up for taking over the family business – with very cute results.
Perfect for: Come on, it’s Easter, who doesn’t want to spend an hour or so looking at a cute rabbit going about his business?
When’s it on? Good Friday at 4.30pm on ITV2
The Beautiful Game
The Beautiful Game debuts on Netflix on Good Friday
Alfredo Falvo
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What’s it all about? Bill Nighy, Micheal Ward and Callum Scott Howells star in this sports drama about a team of homeless footballers who travel to Rome for a big tournament.
Perfect for: If you’ve spent the day watching classic films and repeats, and you’re ready for something brand new.
When’s it on? Good Friday on Netflix
The Life And Death Of Lily Savage
Paul O’Grady as Lily Savage
What’s it all about? Not a traditional film, admittedly, but a must-watch all the same. This ITV documentary explores the life and career of Paul O’Grady, as told through the guise of his game-changing drag alter-ego, Lily Savage.
Perfect for: If you feel like celebrating a modern-day British icon.
What’s it all about? Emma Stone won her first Academy Award for her performance in this modern musical, which co-stars Ryan Gosling and John Legend and serves as a love letter to both Los Angeles and romance itself.
Perfect for: If you want to end the first day of the weekend with a bit of romance. And you’re fully ready to be humming Another Day Of Sun until Easter Monday.
When’s it on? Good Friday at 11pm on BBC Two
Hook
Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman in Hook
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What’s it all about? A clever retelling of the Peter Pan story, Steven Spielberg’s Hook boasts a seriously impressive cast including Dustin Hoffman, Julia Roberts and the always-wonderful Robin Williams. Watch out for a seriously impressive cameo from Glenn Close, too.
Perfect for: If you’re in the mood for a fairytale with some big twists.
When’s it on? Saturday 30 March at 2.20pm on Channel 5
Ocean’s Eleven
A handful of the A-listers featured in Ocean’s Eleven
Moviestore/Shutterstock
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What’s it all about? Professional con artist Danny Ocean recruits 10 of his criminal pals to help him pull off the heist of his career, with a huge ensemble cast that includes *deep breath* George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, Don Cheadle and the late Carl Reiner.
Perfect for: When you just fancy something capital-H “Hollywood”.
When’s it on? Saturday 30 March at 5.05pm on Channel 5
Kick-Ass
Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Kick-Ass
Marv Films/Kobal/Shutterstock
What’s it all about? A superhero outing that’s a far cry from the MCU films that have dominated the box office this past decade, Kick-Ass is a black comedy about an ordinary teenager who sets out to fight crime in the style of his comic heroes.
Perfect for: If you’re intrigued about Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s next career move and feel like diving into one of his stand-out roles.
When’s it on? Saturday 30 March at 10pm on Channel 4
Snatch
Jason Statham, Brad Pitt and Stephen Graham in Snatch
Dan Smith/Columbia/Ska/Kobal/Shutterstock
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What’s it all about? One of Guy Ritchie’s most popular gangster offerings, the fast-paced and star-studded Snatch centres around a criminal underworld involving bare-knuckle boxing and high-stakes gambling.
Perfect for: Anyone who binged The Gentlemen on Netflix.
When’s it on? Saturday 30 March at 10.50pm on Channel 4
Ben-Hur
Ben-Hur set a record at the Oscars upon its release that has still never been surpassed
MGM/Kobal/Shutterstock
When’s it all about? There are biblical epics, and then there’s Ben-Hur, a three-and-a-half hour retelling of the New Testament story through the guise of a fictional prince who watches the whole thing unfold from afar. While the subject matter and runtime might be off-putting to some, it’s worth pointing out that Ben-Hur is frequently held up as one of the best films of all time, winning a record-setting 11 Oscars upon its release.
Perfect for: If ever you were to finally give Ben-Hur a go, it might as well be Easter weekend, right?
When’s it on? Easter Sunday at 12.05pm on Channel 5
Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory
Gene Wilder as the definitive Willy Wonka
Wolper/Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock
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What’s it all about? This Roald Dahl adaptation is still the definitive adaptation of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (soz Timothée), telling the story of an impoverished young boy whose life changes when he wins a golden ticket to visit Willy Wonka’s weird and wonderful world, alongside a host of far less well-behaved children…
Perfect for: Easter Sunday!
When’s it on? Easter Sunday at 12.25pm on ITV1
Easter Parade
Judy Garland and Fred Astaire in Easter Parade
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What’s it all about? Even if you’ve never heard of Easter Parade, the true star power of its leads (Fred Astaire came out of retirement to star in it alongside the legendary Judy Garland) should be enough to pique the interest of any fan of Hollywood’s golden years.
Perfect for: If Judy Garland in a big hat is your idea of a good time (isn’t it everyone’s?).
When’s it on? Easter Sunday at 12.30pm on BBC Two
Beauty And The Beast
Beauty And The Beast formed a major part of Disney’s so-called “Renaissance” era
Moviestore/Shutterstock
What’s it all about? Arguably the best thing ever released by the Walt Disney company, Beauty And The Beast became the first animated movie to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, after impressing critics with its instantly-catchy songs, beautiful visuals and heartwarming characters.
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Perfect for: Literally any time, any place. What a film.
When’s it on? Easter Sunday at 2.40pm on BBC One
The Wizard Of Oz
Judy Garland as Dorothy in The Wizard Of Oz
MGM/Kobal/Shutterstock
What’s it all about? Dorothy Gale goes on the journey of a lifetime when her home is caught up in a twister, transporting her to the land of Oz where she encounters a host of magical and life-changing characters.
Perfect for: Sorry to repeat ourselves, but again, any time, any place. What. A. Film.
When’s it on? Easter Sunday at 4.20pm on Channel 5
Babe
Babe was a surprise nominee in the Best Picture category at the 1996 Oscars
Moviestore/Shutterstock
What’s it all about? After being taken in as a piglet by a kind farmer, Babe defies expectations when he decides he wants to join a herd of sheepdog.
Perfect for: If you want something warm and fuzzy (that, sorry to say, will probably still have you shedding a few tears).
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When’s it on? Easter Monday at 2.40pm on Film4
Bee Movie
Bee Movie has inspired countless memes in recent years
Dreamworks/Kobal/Shutterstock
What’s it all about? A bee tries to sue the human race after finding out that humans have been taking all of his colony’s honey.
Perfect for: If you’re curious to see exactly where all of those Bee Movie memes originated from.
When’s it on? Easter Monday at 2.55pm on ITV2
Jumanji
Robin Williams in Jumanji
Moviestore/Shutterstock
What’s it all about? The original (and best) Jumani is a true family adventure, that centres around a brother-and-sister who get swept up in an epic jungle board game that changes their lives forever.
Perfect for: If Mrs Doubtfire and Hook have got you in the mood for more 90s family classics starring Robin Williams.
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When’s it on? Easter Monday at 4.50pm on ITV2
Easy A
Emma Stone as Olive in the hit teen comedy Easy A
Olive Bridge/Kobal/Shutterstock
What’s it all about? Following in the footsteps of favourites like Heathers, Clueless and Mean Girls, Easy A is a quirky and quotable teen comedy that introduces us to Emma Stone’s Olive, a high schooler who leans into her new reptuation when a false rumour about her is spread around her peers.
Perfect for: When you’re back at work in the morning and you need something to take your mind off it for those precious last hours of the Bank Holiday.
Rishi Sunak is facing a backlash for handing a knighthood to a Tory donor who gave £5 million to the Tories last year.
Mohamed Mansour, a senior treasurer of the Conservative Party and a former Egyptian government minister, was knighted for business, charity and political service.
PA News reported senior No 10 sources pointing to his charitable work and record of public service, including support for The Prince’s Foundation, now The King’s Foundation.
But Labour Party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds hit out at the prime minister for the decision, which was announced as parliament is in recess and on the eve of the Easter bank holiday weekend.
She said: “This is either the arrogant act of an entitled man who’s stopped caring what the public thinks, or the demob-happy self-indulgence of someone who doesn’t expect to be prime minister much longer.
“Either way, it shows a blatant disrespect for the office he should feel privileged to hold.”
Tory MP Philip Davies and Mark Spencer, the farming minister, were also knighted, while Tracey Crouch, a former minister, was made a dame along with Treasury committee chair Harriett Baldwin.
People from the worlds of entertainment and AI were also recommended for honours by the PM to the King.
New Tory deputy chairman Jonathan Gullis has faced embarrassment after criticising peers and the Labour Party for voting against the flagship Rwanda deportation scheme – when he hasn’t been fully behind it himself.
The position came back to haunt the MP for Stoke-on-Trent when he was interviewed by Sophy Ridge on Sky News on Wednesday, a day after being handed the senior party role.
Gullis said: “Those pesky peers in the House of Lords, predominantly Labour, and Labour MPs and Sir Keir Starmer in the House of Commons are continuing to block any attempts that we make in order to get this Rwanda policy off the ground …”
Ridge quickly intervened: “But you abstained on the Rwanda vote, didn’t you?”
Knowing full well he did abstain, Gullis said that he “wanted to see the bill pass, so I didn’t block or deter it at any point”, adding: “I suggested amendments, Sophy.”
When Ridge clarified he “didn’t vote for it” and that he was just as “pesky” as those he was criticising, Gullis replied: “I haven’t voted like Labour have over 90 times to block the Rwanda scheme from being able to take place.”
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You can watch the full exchange below.
“Those pesky peers in the House of Lords are continuing to block any attempts to get the Rwanda policy off the ground”
“But you abstained in the Rwanda vote, didn’t you?”
The bill, which aims to overcome the Supreme Court’s block on the Rwanda deportation flights, is stuck in a game of parliamentary “ping-pong” as the House of Lords votes against the flagship legislation, only for MPs in the Commons to reverse those changes and send it back again.
It has undermined Rishi Sunak’s hopes of getting the deportation flights off the ground in the spring.
Britain and Rwanda signed a deal almost two years ago that would see migrants who cross the English Channel in small boats sent to the East African country, where they would remain permanently. So far, no migrant has been sent to Rwanda under the agreement.
The plan is key to Sunak’s pledge to “stop the boats” bringing unauthorised migrants to the UK. He argues that deporting asylum seekers will deter people from making risky journeys and break the business model of people-smuggling gangs. Just under 30,000 people arrived in Britain in small boats in 2023.
A Tory MP has launched a “weird” campaign to get a fish and chip shop opened.
Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP Steve Tuckwell posted a video on X indicating his concern that there was no fish and chip shop in Uxbridge town centre – despite acknowledging the existence of two others nearb.
The Mirror reported there appears to be 10 fish and chip shops in the Uxbridge area.
The plea raised eyebrows on the social media network. Why was a politician from the free enterprise-supporting Conservative Party interfering with the market? Are there not bigger issues to be championing during a cost-of-living crisis? What is he campaigning to change, given there’s no legal pathway to enforce the opening of a takeaway food outlet?
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We have a fish & chip shop in Cowley & one near St Andrew’s Park, but we don’t in Uxbridge Town Centre.
That’s why I’m launching a campaign to get us a fish & chip shop in Uxbridge Town Centre, but I need your support to do it.
Labour’s parliamentary candidate Danny Beales responded: “Maybe try to save the library first? You couldn’t make it up. Tory MP supports the closure of libraries, nurseries and youth centres. But campaigns for an extra fish and chip shop. Uxbridge and South Ruislip deserves so much better.”
Some claimed the campaign was effectively a device to get voters to sign up to the MP’s mailing list. A petition page link posted by Tuckwell suggests people can show support by signing up with their name, email address and postcode, and a tick box alongside it reads: “I agree to Steve Tuckwell using the contact information I provide to keep me updated via email and telephone on this and other issues until further notice.”
On X, food critic Jay Rayner argued the “proper weird” campaign was “just a data scraping exercise”, while others claimed Tuckwell opposed the opening of a fish and chip shop in 2019 in his role as a local councillor.
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Minutes from a Hillingdon Council meeting on June 4, 2019, state Tuckwell attended a planning committee meeting where it was “unanimously agreed” to reject a planning application for “hot food takeaway” on Windsor Street.
The minutes state: “Members expressed concern regarding the visibility of the external duct and the fact that it would be sited in close proximity to an existing first floor window; this raised concerns regarding the potential for noise and smell.”
This looks proper weird. How can you campaign for a new fish & chip shop? Who do you petition? The haddock? Until you click on the link and realise it’s just a data scraping exercise on behalf of the Conservative Party. https://t.co/D7CiBItmty
1) There are two fish and chip shops near where this video was made. One is roughly 10 mins walk away. 2) There is no law that I’m aware of against chip shops opening in Uxbridge.
After consulting with Steve Tuckwell I have updated our National Priorities: -a fish and chip shop in Uxbridge -another barber in Kettering -2 extra parking bays behind Tesco Express in Winnersh -an extra litter bin in Littlehampton High Street https://t.co/7TjVAaBddr
I don’t understand how this works, a fish’n’chip shop isn’t a pedestrian crossing by a school or waste ground which could be turned into a park, it’s a business people either want to open or not, how do you campaign people into opening a business pic.twitter.com/anKzLWogpb
— Toby Earle 🇺🇦 Threads tobyontv (@TobyonTV) March 27, 2024
Steve was in attendance at the Hillingdon Council planning meeting in which they heard an application for a fish and chip shop in Uxbridge town centre.
The Tories narrowly retained, Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Boris Johnson’s former seat, following a bitter by-election campaign in July, with Tuckwell beating Beales by just 495 votes to become the new MP.
The Conservatives effectively turned the by-election into a referendum on Labour mayor Sadiq Khan’s decision to expand London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).
Professor Alex Ford, a marine biologist at Portsmouth University, told Good Morning Britain that the waters he analysed off the Hampshire coast contained drugs, contraceptive pills and antidepressants.
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It comes as new figures fuelled more public anger over untreated sewage being discharged into the sea and rivers when the Victorian-era infrastructure cannot cope with heavy rain.
According to the Environment Agency, the number of sewage spills in England’s rivers and seas more than doubled in a year: there were 3.6 million hours of spills in 2023, compared to 1.75 million in 2022.
‘Every single marine species that we’ve looked at so far is full of cocaine.’ – Professor Alex Ford
Figures are expected to show last year was the worst for sewage spills in England since monitoring began. pic.twitter.com/Pj6QlHQYEe
Ford told the broadcaster from Langstone Harbour, Hampshire: “The sewage treatment plant behind us takes in the waste of half a million people and when it can’t cope with it, it chucks it straight out here.
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“In the marine life just beneath our feet, we’re actually finding they’re full of drugs. They’re full of the contraceptive pills, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medication. Every single marine species that we’ve looked at so far is full of cocaine.”
GMB presenter Susanna Reid couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing, and asked the reporter to clarify: “Every marine species is full of cocaine, did he say?”
Water companies are permitted to discharge untreated sewage into waterways in exceptional circumstances, such as during the heavy rainfall seen this week.
The overflow systems are used to protect homes and businesses from flooding, and the water companies say only a small percentage of the discharge is wastewater.
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Water UK, the industry body for sewerage companies, blamed heavy rainfall for the rising problem, but campaigners and opposition parties accused the Tory government of failing to get to grips with the problem.
On social media, the reaction was as you would expect …
Already 400 pollution alerts in first three months of this year in Langstone Harbour. More than all of last year. Which was already much worse than year before that. Southern Water tells us sorting the problem is a top priority. And reminds us weather’s been especially wet. https://t.co/ZyqkQBfnfb
The 7.5-minute video shows the bridge and the ship from various aerial angles, giving viewers perspective on just how bad the damage was.
Authorities are currently focused on seeking and rescuing people who may still be in the water, an amount that remains unknown, according to NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy.
“Nobody is going by a number,” she said Tuesday afternoon. “They are just looking and searching.”
Although President Joe Biden has vowed to rebuild the bridge, US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg admitted that “the path to normalcy will not be easy, it will not be quick, it will not be inexpensive, but we will rebuild together”.
Judge Juan Merchan, the latest jurist to face the indicted Republican presidential candidate’s ire for doing their job, is presiding over a trial that stems from payments Trump allegedly made to porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign in order to bury accusations he had an affair. The former president was charged last year with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to the alleged payments.
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Later Tuesday, Merchan issued a gag order against Trump in the hush money case. The order prohibits the former president from speaking publicly about witnesses, jurors, court staff or prosecutors involved in the trial.
“It is without question that the imminency of the risk of harm is now paramount,” he wrote in the order.
As Trump has done in other cases he’s charged in, the GOP presidential frontrunner has fervently denied wrongdoing in the hush-money case. This trial will be the first time a United States president is criminally prosecuted.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, the presumptive 2024 GOP presidential nominee called Merchan a “very distinguished looking man” who is “nevertheless a true and certified Trump Hater who suffers from a very serious case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.
The trial was originally set to start Monday. But Merchan delayed it until next month, after the Manhattan District Attorney’s office received a massive document dump from the federal Southern District of New York that may include new evidence in the case.
That initial delay was meant to give both sides enough time to sift through the documents, which are related to an earlier investigation. That probe centered on whether Trump instructed his then-fixer Michael Cohen to give Daniels $130,000 to stay quiet about an extramarital sexual encounter she allegedly had with the former president years ago. Prosecutors in that case decided against charging Trump, but the federal investigation did lead to Cohen pleading guilty in 2018 to to campaign finance violations, among other charges.
The upcoming hush-money trial is not the first time Merchan will be overseeing a case related to the former president or his business. The judge, a former prosecutor who often handles financial cases, previously presided over a criminal tax fraud prosecution of the Trump Organisation that resulted in a $1.6 million fine for the company. The organisation’s chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, pleaded guilty and served 100 days in prison for his role, though Merchan commented at the time that he wished he could impose a stricter penalty.
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In his Tuesday post, Trump also attacked Merchan for “viciously” treating Weisselberg, who the former president described as “elderly and not in good health.” Nicholas Gravante, who represented Weisselberg in the plea negotiations, said Merchan was “a real listener, well-prepared, always accessible, and a man who kept his word,” according to The Associated Press.
Trump’s attorneys filed a motion in August asking Merchan to recuse himself because of the judge’s remarks about Weisselberg’s sentencing, as well as donations to Democratic groups totaling $35 in 2020 and his daughter’s employment with a political consulting firm that did digital marketing for the Biden campaign. Merchan rejected the calls for his recusal.
Tuesday’s post was the latest attack by Trump against judges overseeing his multiple court cases, as he’s repeatedly claimed the judicial system is attempting to interfere with this year’s election. Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon earlier this month rejected a bid by Trump’s lawyers to throw out the case accusing him of keeping classified government documents at his personal home in Florida.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is presiding over the federal insurrection case against Trump in Washington, has also repeatedly faced his anger. She experienced a so-called swatting attempt after someone made a false emergency call about her home.
A search and rescue effort is underway after the Francis Scott Key Bridge on Interstate 695 in Baltimore collapsed early Tuesday when it was struck by a ship, causing a number of vehicles to plunge into the Patapsco River below.
Eight people are believed to have fallen into the water following the collapse just before 1:30 a.m. Six of those individuals remained unaccounted for as of 10 a.m. local time, authorities said at a press conference.
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The eight people were part of a construction crew filling potholes, said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld. Their work had nothing to do with the structure of the bridge, which was up to code, Gov. Wes Moore said.
Two of those people were pulled from the water, said James Wallace, fire chief of Baltimore City Fire Department (BCFD), at an earlier press conference. One person was uninjured and refused treatment, while the other was transported to a local trauma center and is in “very serious condition.”
Footage shared on social media showed the moment of the collapse:
The ship lost power and sent out a mayday call immediately before colliding with the bridge. This alert prompted workers on the bridge to stop vehicles from continuing onto it, said Moore.
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“These people are heroes,” he said of those workers.
Dive teams were at the scene, with sonar having detected the presence of submerged vehicles, Wallace said earlier. The temperature at the port was around 30 degrees Fahrenheit at the time of the incident.
BCFD’s Wallace, speaking with CNN, said they had detected three passenger vehicles, a cement truck and a fifth vehicle submerged in the water using infrared and sonar technology. Authorities have not said whether there could be people trapped inside.
“This is an unthinkable tragedy,” Mayor Brandon Scott said. “We have to first and foremost pray for all of those who are impacted.”
Baltimore Chief Richard Worley said, “There’s absolutely no indication that there’s any terrorism” or that the ship crash was intentional.
Moore also said that a preliminary investigation “points to an accident.”
A helicopter flies over a container ship as it rests against wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday.
via Associated Press
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Asked about the possibility of a chemical spill, Wallace said they’ve noticed “odors of diesel fuel” but haven’t been able to confirm there’s a spill. All of the officials at the news conference stressed the fast-moving and changing nature of the situation.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said he’s spoken with Moore and Mayor Scott to offer support following the collapse.
The ship was registered with Singapore and operating with 22 crew members on board. The container vessel’s manager, Synergy Marine Group, told Reuters that they have all been accounted for.
The vessel experienced a “momentary loss of propulsion” and dropped its anchors as part of emergency procedures before impact, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said in a statement.
“As a result, it was unable to maintain the desired heading and collided with the Francis Scott Key bridge,” it said.
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The container ship was built in 2015 and the following year it was involved in a minor collision with a wall in Antwerp, Belgium, which resulted in significant damage to its hull, according to maritime websites Shipwreck Log and Vessel Finder.
The incident took place in good weather and was blamed on a mistake by the master and pilot on board, according to Vessel Finder.
The 1.6-mile bridge, which opened in 1977, is named for the author of “The Star Spangled Banner.” Key was near the current location of the bridge as he watched the American flag flying from nearby Fort McHenry during a British bombardment in the War of 1812, inspiring the poem that became the song.
The Maryland Transportation Authority said some 11.3 million cars pass over the bridge each year.
Mayor Scott said it was unbelievable to see the Key Bridge tumble, adding, “It was like something out of an action movie.”
