How Baltimore bridge collapse has spawned various conspiracy theories

‘WW3 has started.’

‘This ship was cyber-attacked.’

‘The tragedy is linked to the United States’ abstention in a UN Security Council vote calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza war.’

Though the investigation is still ongoing, and authorities have stated that they suspect no foul play in the collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge , which was struck by a container ship, many people on social media have made shocking claims.

Various theories have emerged attributing blame for the collision, ranging from criticisms of the Biden administration and COVID lockdowns to references to World War and Israeli intervention. Notably, prominent figures such as Fox Business journalist Maria Bartiromo, Michael Flynn (former advisor to ex-president Donald Trump), and Andrew Tate have contributed to these discussions.

Let’s take a closer look.

‘The collapse looks deliberate’

If Andrew Tate, a kickboxer-turned-influencer facing rape and human trafficking charges in Romania, is to be believed, the collapse of the Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore was a “cyber-attacked.”

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“Lights go off and it deliberately steers towards the bridge support,” Tate claimed on X.

“Foreign agents of the USA attack digital infrastructures. Nothing is safe,” his post reads.

This ship was cyber-attacked.

Lights go off and it deliberately steers towards the bridge supports.

Foreign agents of the USA attack digital infrastructures.

Nothing is safe.

Black Swan event imminent. pic.twitter.com/14SBqK8tJA

— Andrew Tate (@Cobratate) March 26, 2024

InfoWars founder Alex Jones, found liable in multiple defamation lawsuits for claiming the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school mass shooting was a hoax, reposted the allegation.

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“Looks deliberate to me,” he said. “A cyber-attack is probable. WW3 has already started.”

There was no immediate confirmation of the cause of the collapse, but Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said there was no indication of terrorism.

Footage appeared to show the ship going dark twice in the moments before the collision, and Maryland governor Wes Moore said during a press conference Tuesday that “the crew notified authorities of a power issue.”

Moore added that officials had not seen “any credible evidence of a terrorist attack.” Bill DelBagno, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Baltimore field office, also said there was no evidence of terrorism.

Some blame Israel and Islamic State

Some on X (formerly Twitter) are linking the tragedy to the United States’ abstention in a UN Security Council vote calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza war.

“Did Israel just hit the US over not using the veto power yesterday??” one account said in a post with thousands of interactions.

Others blamed the bridge collapse on the Islamic State group or corporate diversity initiatives that have become a flashpoint ahead of the US presidential election, while suggestions of a “false flag” populated the most conspiratorial pages.

Synergy Marine Group, the managers of the Singapore-flagged Dali container ship controlled by two Baltimore port pilots at the time of the collision, said the cause of the crash has yet to be determined. None of the crew were injured.

Biden administration behind

Conspiracy theories and attacks on the Biden administration are the primary concerns of right-wingers, as has been the case with almost every major tragedy in American history.

During an interview with Senator Rick Scott (R-Florida), Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo attempted to link Biden’s border policy to the tragedy. On Newsmax, Representative Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina) claimed that Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill was to blame because it emphasised “Green New Deal” spending.

The collapse was described as a “Black Swan event” by Michael Flynn, former President Donald Trump’s national security advisor.

This is a BLACK SWAN event.

Black swans normally come out of the world of finance (not military). The standard operating procedures for all U.S. ports, harbors, and bays that transit commerce and military activities are supposed to maintain an incredible level of discipline,… https://t.co/4fmSMaaJGd

— General Mike Flynn (@GenFlynn) March 26, 2024

For those unfamiliar, a Black Swan event is a term used to describe an unexpected event that has a significant impact and is frequently rationalised after the fact with the benefit of hindsight. Flynn, who was previously suspended for spreading conspiracy theories about the 2020 US elections, appeared to suggest that the collapse was not accidental.

American Conservative Union president Matt Schlapp suggested that “drug-addled” employees and “lockdowns” during the COVID-19 pandemic were to blame for the bridge collapse, on Newsmax.

“All I would say is that if you talk to employers in America, they’ll tell you that filling slots with employees who aren’t drug-addled is a very huge problem; so, I’m making no specific charges here because we don’t know. But you know, anybody who flies in America can see that you’re constantly waiting on a tarmac somewhere for some crew to show up,” Schlapp told Newsmax, reports AlterNet.

Investigation underway

Moore stated that a preliminary investigation revealed the collision was an accident and that there was no reason to suspect terrorism.

“There is no specific and credible information to suggest any ties to terrorism at this time,” the FBI’s Baltimore field office said on X.

“The investigation is ongoing.”

With inputs from AFP