The Baltimore bridge cargo ship asked nearby tugboats for help just before it crashed. It was too late.

• The Dali called out for help from tugboats minutes before it crashed into the Key Bridge, authorities said.
• Data from the ship's Voyage Data Recorder revealed alarms, steering commands, and rudder orders before the crash.
• However, all attempts to halt the ship were ineffective.

Minutes before the container ship Dali collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, it radioed for help from nearby tugboats, authorities said Wednesday.