'These people are heroes': Maryland Gov reveals how lives got saved before bridge collapse

The horrific early-morning collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore Harbor is still an unfolding disaster, with an unknown number of people missing or killed after a container ship lost control and smashed into a central column, taking out the whole structure.

But according to the Baltimore Banner's Justin Fenton, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has confirmed that the whole incident could have been much worse — and thanks to timely actions from the ship's crew, many lives may have been saved.

Per the governor, the ship's collision was due to a power loss that disabled their ability to navigate — but those on board issued a mayday call to emergency officials onshore, and they were able to restrict the traffic going over the bridge. As it was, some cars were reportedly on the bridge when it went down, but many more might have been otherwise.

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"These people are heroes," said Moore. "They saved lives last night."

Many details remain unknown about the incident beyond the casualty count.

Some sources have also warned that the debris clogging the Baltimore Harbor — the eighth-largest such port in the United States — and the severing of a crucial bridge link, could have significant affects on the national supply chain.