Maryland state police have announced that the six individuals who went missing following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland on Tuesday are now presumed to have perished. The incident resulted in several vehicles and eight construction workers plunging into the Patapsco River.
Although two individuals were rescued on Tuesday, Jeffrey Pritzker, a senior executive at Brawner Builders, the company employing the construction workers, stated that the remaining six are presumed dead due to the depth of the water and the time elapsed since the accident. Maryland authorities concur and have stated that recovery efforts will resume tomorrow morning with a team of divers.
Pritzker explained that the crew was working in the middle of the bridge when it collapsed, emphasizing that the event was entirely unforeseen despite their strict safety measures. He expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and mentioned that no bodies have been recovered yet. All 22 crew members aboard the Dali, the ship involved in the collision, were reported safe.
President Joe Biden has been actively engaged in coordinating with federal, state, and local officials in response to the bridge collapse. Notable figures in these discussions included Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott.
Governor Moore affirmed that the bridge, constructed in 1977, was compliant with safety regulations before the collision. However, it’s noted that the same ship involved in the incident had previously encountered problems in Belgium in 2016 and had deficiencies in propulsion and auxiliary machinery according to an inspection report from Chile.
The collision occurred around 1:30 am, resulting in the collapse of a section of the bridge and subsequent closure of all lanes. The ship reportedly issued a mayday call after hitting a column, veering off course, and apparently losing power. Fortunately, emergency responders were able to prevent further vehicles from entering the bridge.
President Biden assured that the federal government would cover the entire cost of rebuilding the bridge, emphasizing the need for swift action. He also expressed his intention to visit Baltimore soon to oversee the recovery efforts.
The missing construction workers were described as hardworking individuals from Central America, leaving behind families in their home countries in pursuit of a better life. Biden stressed the urgency of rebuilding the bridge and indicated that waiting for the ship’s owners to take responsibility was not an option.
Following his engagement in Washington, President Biden departed for a campaign event in Raleigh, North Carolina, while Buttigieg was expected to travel promptly to Baltimore.
