Six people are missing presumed dead after a container ship hit the landmark Francis Scott Key Bridge in the US city of Baltimore.

The Singapore-flagged container ship, Dali, struck a support column on the 47-year-old bridge at 05:30 GMT, causing it to collapse.

Several vehicles were crossing the bridge, which is more than 2.6km long, when it collapsed.

Officials say the ship suffered a “power issue” and issued a distress call moments before the crash.

Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath of the US Coast Guard said in the evening that it had suspended its search and begun a recovery effort.

Missing men were presumed dead based on the temperature of the waters they had fallen in and the length of time they have been under water.