Two people have so far been rescued from the freezing Baltimore waters after a huge container ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge causing it to collapse, in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Footage showed the moment the 1.6 mile long bridge fell into the water just before 1.30am local time this morning after the Singapore-flagged Dali ship slammed into one of the bridge’s pillars.

Multiple cars were crossing over the bridge at the time, including one the size of a tractor-trailer.

Baltimore Police said in a press briefing that a desperate search is currently under way for at least seven people missing in the water.

Just two people have been pulled from the water five hours on from the incident, one of whom is currently fighting for their life in hospital.

Sonar has detected multiple vehicles still in the water.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has declared a state of emergency and the White House is monitoring the incident.

According to the Marine Traffic website, the ship was bound for Colombo Port in Sri Lanka at the time.