DUNDALK, Md. — In the days leading up to their departure from the Port of Baltimore, the crew of the ill-fated Dali did what many crews do before a lengthy voyage. They reached out to the Apostleship of the Sea, a Catholic organization that often helps sailors stock up on things like food and hygiene items.
“Monday, I was actually the driver that took them out. So as soon as I heard about the collision and the incident, my first thought was - I was just with those guys yesterday. Secondly was, I have contact with them, let me reach out,” Andrew Middleton, executive director for Apostleship of the Sea, said. "Early Tuesday morning, around 6:00, I sent a message just asking if everyone was OK and if everyone was safe. Within a few minutes, one of them replied that everyone was safe on board.”
Volunteers for the Apostleship of the Sea describe themselves as the friendly, welcoming faces for seafarers arriving at the port. Now, they’re needed more than ever. The 23 men are still on board the ship, stuck beneath the wreckage of the Key Bridge after crashing into it last Tuesday morning. To maintain the integrity of the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation, they cannot get off.
Middleton has been working non-stop this past week to get supplies out to the crew, sending those supplies out on the boats of the salvage teams working to clean up the wreckage.
“To remind them that we’re here for them, and try to find out what their needs are now, and then what they possibly could be in the future as the days go by and they’re sitting out in the river,” Middleton said.
During his press conference today, Governor Moore says the part of the ship most impacted by the wreckage is not the part of the ship where the living quarters or the kitchens are.
The Dali crew was expecting to be at sea for about a month, so they do have enough food and water for now. The Apostleship of the Sea just got them WiFi hotspots and new SIM cards so they can get in touch with their families, most of whom are in India.
"Going forward it's going to be about things to occupy their time and their mind," Middleton said.
The seven ships still stranded north of the bridge were at varying points in their journey and therefore have varying needs. But Middleton and his team are able to reach those crews directly, and are even planning to bring some of them to land for a bit.
"Our idea going forward is to come up with creative ways to provide them with recreational activities and get them off the vessel for a few hours and entertain them. I already have scheduled a trip to Washington D.C.”
We asked Middleton whether the crew shared with him anything about what went wrong.
“I haven’t asked. Honestly, it’s a traumatic experience for them, and it’s so fresh that I don’t want to make them re-live that trauma.”
If you want to help, you can donate to the Apostleship of the Sea here.
As for how long those crew members will remain stuck on the Patapsco River, officials still don't have a timeline. But all indicators point to the clean-up effort taking weeks, likely longer than the 28 days the crew was expecting to be on that ship.
Governor Moore said today when it comes to the process of moving the Dali out, "There are still more unknowns than knowns."