Remembering the terror of the Skyway Bridge Disaster

On May 9, 1980, a terrifying mayday call was received by the Coast Guard. One span of the Skyway Bridge was down after a ship collided with the span. Cars were in the water and emergency crews raced to the scene.
Produced by Tiffany Tompkins/The Bradenton Herald
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[@throwabrick]

That operator is doing a bang up job. Props!

[@Utubin]

That female coastguard dispatcher was so professional. Here we are in 2020. I hope she is still alive and doing great.

[@Joel98899]

That was a guy..

[@yoboibacon16]

That’s a dude

[@Utubin]

My bad . A guy then. Whatever whoever still a great job. Atlanta Georgia USA 12.6.2020.

[@mamiconrazon]

@@Utubin I thought it was a woman too

[@frickedyourgirlfriend3678]

@@Utubin the gender didn't matter anyway, just a person doing their job

[@crlaw75]

Dick Hornbuckle was VERY lucky to survive (the yellow Buick Skylark car that was hanging on the edge of the bridge).

[@jayskicksnfits9372]

You mean Richard Hornbuckle.

[@crlaw75]

That's right.

[@crlaw75]

This puts you in mind of the Baltimore bridge collapse.

[@Hoybabe1]

I was on my way to work and heard about it over the radio. You could see everything from Ft. Desoto. Awful day.

[@KindCountsDeb3773]

I lived there when it happened. A tug boat captain was found guilty of some sort of negligence. The NEW bridge has many cement guards around it now and considered very safe. It's gorgeous, too.

[@SkywayBridgeDisaster]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYq1mmifhbqHqaM

[@gracehuff6304]

Yes I live in Sebring in FL and I go there ever weekend to go fishing ang go over the bridge all the time and its amazing 🤯💖💙🧡🌺

[@johnshields6852]

Why didn't the ship report a problem immediately knowing they're out of control, you wait until you hit a Bridge to call. I don't care how foggy it was or how windy, if your captain of a floating behemoth and it's out of control, immediately report the situation for all to have a chance to get out of the way. No excuse.

[@andyhamilton8940]

That dude was staring at that micrphone for years hoping for an emergency. He wasnt gonna mess this up. He was ready for that day.

[@dustindodds4827]

Seems like alot of time is wasted on constantly repeating who you called and where they are from...

[@CDN1975]

Coast guard dispatcher did a great job. What a horrifying situation.

[@sammygirl6910]

The audio is terrifying.

[@thomreece2436]

My freind Rick and I had just rode our motorcyles over the Bridge less than 30 min before the bridge collapsed. We were going to his moms house in Ellington to help her with storm damage repairs.We were riding from St Pete going to his moms. We returned from Ellington going back to St Pete about 7:00 PM that evening.

[@goalie2998]

Holy crap. That really must have been a shock to hear of this after just going over. I'm glad you made it.

[@mattboland7063]

I assume the deal with the "mayday" call in Baltimore today (Key Bridge collapsed) was pretty similar to this.

[@Dragonfly657]

That bridge is huge and intimidating it’s long it’s actually the largest spanning bridge at the time. Once you hop on you gotta go no turning back. 😮

[@werquantum]

Nice work posting this.

[@jonathanseagull.4551]

I was at school in St Petersburg Fla when this happened It’s something I’ll never forget.

[@Rob-bo7yn]

Me too. 4th grade. One of our teachers got a tv on a cart from the library and wheeled it in, turned on channel 8.

[@jonathanseagull.4551]

@@Rob-bo7yn Same here, She brought a cart with a TV and we watched it in class. I went to Lakewood middle and high school.

[@alliematt1016]

I went to Gibbs High School and I remember that day very well. I thought the span that had fallen was just a few feet above the water. I didn’t know until we got the afternoon paper *what* span had fallen. The next year, I took driver’s ed and for our final drive, we could drive over the Skyway if we wanted to. I decided to do it. It was just weird, going up and up and up and seeing the other span out of the corner of my eye and then . . . nothing.

[@mrpaulgrimm6129]

Drunk Captain?

[@SkywayBridgeDisaster]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYq1mmifhbqHqaM

[@MontgomeryMall]

No, harbor pilot John Lerro was not intoxicated at all. Lerro was navigating the Summit Venture through the angled channel when the rain squall suddenly came on hard and heavy. The skies went dark, the rain became furious and blinding and the wind gusts picked up. The Summit Venture drifted out of alignment and when Lerro saw the bridge pier looming ahead he tried to throw down his anchor in an emergency stop but it was unsuccessful.

[@mrpaulgrimm6129]

Montgomery Mall Should have dropped anchor and wait out the storm if he couldntsee

[@mrpaulgrimm6129]

BBDcummins yes and they should not attempted it

[@sarahraiola3]

Not true. He was almost immediately tested , nothing illegal was found in his system. My partner and I were personally was involved in the disaster and have only recently come forward with our experience. Please be respectful with your comments. Our story is available on You tube also.

[@wgdavidson9669]

"Where did the people come from that are in the water?" "The bridge" BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[@frasierthebichon7422]

wg davidson .....u are just too funny....and actually they don’t come from the bridge they are on it

[@CDN1975]

They could have come from the ship. Moron.

[@erica33709]

Me and me and my sister are the last two remaining survivors even though nobody knows about it