The cartoon was shared on X by Foxford Comics.
New Delhi: An out-of-control cargo ship crashed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, resulting in the probable deaths of six people. A "racist" cartoon that depicts the episode has sparked controversy, while many, including US President Joe Biden, are applauding the Indian crew on the ship.
On Tuesday, the Singapore-flagged container vessel Dali lost power and collided with a concrete pier that supported the bridge. Almost the whole bridge fell in a matter of seconds, plunging into what officials estimated to be 50 feet of frigid water below.
Biden commended the ship's crew, the majority of whom were Indians, for their timely Mayday call, which prompted authorities to rush to close the bridge to traffic, potentially saving lives.
A cartoon illustrating the incident was shared by a US-based webcomic a day later. The animated video, which was aimed at the ship's crew, depicts unkempt men wearing only loincloths as they prepare for the approaching collision.
"Last known recording from inside the Dali moments before impact," Foxford Comics wrote on X (formerly Twitter) as they shared the video.
The cartoon had an audio clip of people cursing at each other in English with a heavy Indian accent.
With 4.2 million views and 2,000 comments, the graphic has gone viral.
The account is being condemned for degrading the ship's crew in addition to its discriminatory portrayal of Indians.
Indian economist Sanjeev Sanyal shared the cartoon and stated that a local pilot was probably in control of the ship at the time of the tragedy, NDTV reported.
"At the time that the ship hit the bridge, it would have had a local pilot. In any case, the crew had warned the authorities which is why the casualties were relatively few (for such a disaster). The mayor in fact thanked the Indian crew as "heroes" for raising an alarm that limited casualties," he said.
Another X user, Pooja Sangwan, echoed the sentiment and said, "It's shameful that people are mocking Indian crew for the tragic incident. Meanwhile the governor himself praised the crew."
According to US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Baltimore is the nation's largest port for processing vehicles, including cars and large farm equipment, therefore the bridge collapse is predicted to have a significant effect on the US economy. Every day, values between $100 and $200 million pass through the port.
The governors of New York and New Jersey promised in a joint statement on Thursday that the Port Authority of those two states will take on more cargo to assist minimise the effects on the supply chain up the coast from Baltimore.