Dozens of shipping containers fell from a massive vessel docked at the Port of Long Beach on Tuesday, temporarily halting port operations as crews worked to secure the scene.
Video footage captured stacks of containers collapsing like dominoes while cranes loomed overhead. Aerial shots showed several containers crumpled on impact after falling onto what appeared to be a support vessel.
The Portugal-registered ship, Mississippi, was moored at the port when multiple container towers from different sections of the vessel toppled. While the exact contents remain unclear, journalists on site reported seeing shoes and clothing floating in the water.
Some 40-foot-long metal containers sank, while others floated or stacked atop one another. Several stacks still on the ship leaned precariously, prompting port workers to spray water at the containers to prevent them from drifting into shipping lanes.
The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that at least 67 containers fell into the water around 9 a.m., but no injuries were reported.
"Cargo operations have been temporarily suspended at the terminal as responders work to secure the containers," said Art Marroquin, a port spokesman. An exclusion zone was set up around the vessel with fire, police, and Coast Guard teams on site.
The Port of Long Beach, one of the busiest in the United States, handles USD300 billion worth of trade annually and serves as a key import hub for goods from Asia, with connections to over 200 ports worldwide.