Authorities say they are searching for six people following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on early Tuesday, caused by the shipping boat Dali.
Maryland Secretary of Transportation Paul Wiedefeld said during a press conference on Tuesday morning that there were eight individuals believed to be working construction on the bridge at the time of the collapse.
As reactions poured in on social media following the news, some included a photo of a sunken car alongside other footage depicting the incident.
JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images
The Claim
Multiple posts on X, formerly Twitter, showed a car underwater, attached to other media depicting the Baltimore Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.
A post by user @BirelleBee, posted on March 26, 2024, viewed 156,100 times, showed a video of the bridge collapse and of the abandoned car.
“This time lapse video of the ship hitting the Baltimore Bridge is chilling. My heart breaks for the city. 💔 #baltimorebridge,” BirelleBee wrote.
User @CEOONemarkPvt posted almost the exact same message as @BirelleBee.
User @aatishparashar also posted the same footage and photo, and said: “#BREAKING Very Shocking visuals A cargo ship collided with the #FrancisScottKeyBridge in Baltimore leads to its complete collapse, with multiple cars plunging into the water below and more than 20 people missing #Baltimore #BridgeCollapse #Bridge”
Users @gopusingh4044 and @imu07280300033 also posted the same footage and message as @aatishparashar.
The Facts
The photo shared on social media has nothing to do with the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.
The photo was taken in Dungiven, a town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, in January 2022.
According to a report by the Belfast Telegraph, the vehicle, a silver Peugeot 3008, entered the water shortly after 9 a.m. on New Year’s Day. All occupants of the vehicle were accounted for. The BBC reported that a man was taken to hospital after the crash.
Furthermore, Peugeots have not been sold in the United States since 1991. Versions of the Peugeot 3008 have been in production since around 2008. While the vehicle could have been imported, the likelihood of one turning up in Baltimore seems slim. In any case, it has nothing to do with the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.
The posts that have included the photo either seem to have done so by mistake or did so in an attempt to farm engagement on social media; the similarity between the posts suggests the latter explanation may be likely.
Maryland Secretary of Transportation Paul Wiedefeld told reporters he did not believe vehicles were in the water following the collapse.
Officials have yet to reveal more detailed information about the bridge’s collapse but noted that members of the ship issued a mayday alert after they suffered a power outage. Maryland Governor Wes Moore said during a press conference that the mayday alert helped officials stop the flow of traffic onto the bridge just before the collapse.
Officials noted that the bridge was up to code and that there is no information suggesting that this was an intended or terrorist attack.
The Ruling
False.
The photo of the underwater car is not from the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. It was taken from a 2022 news report about a crash in Northern Ireland. The brand of car in the photo, Peugeot, has not been sold in the U.S since the early 1990s.
FACT CHECK BY Newsweek’s Fact Check team
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.