Salvage workers began removing containers Sunday from the deck of a cargo ship that collapsed after colliding with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, a key step toward the full reopening of one of the nation’s major shipping lanes. becomes.
The removal of containers from Dali’s deck will continue this week, weather permitting, the Key Bridge Response Unified Command said in a statement. The statement said crews are moving toward removing part of the bridge across the ship’s bow to eventually allow the ship to move.
Officials said a total of 32 ships passed through temporary channels on either side of the wreckage.
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“Joint forces are concurrently pursuing major efforts to remove enough debris to open the waterway to large-scale commercial traffic,” U.S. Coast Guard Col. David O’Connell said in a statement.
Response crews are seen using a floating crane barge to remove a shipping container from the deck of the cargo ship Dali at the Francis Scott Key Bridge scene in Baltimore, Maryland, April 7, 2024. (Key Bridge Response 2024 Integration Command via AP)
The Dali has been trapped under broken steel in the Patapsco River since March 26, when it crashed into a bridge, killing six workers.
President Joe Biden took a helicopter tour Friday to see the twisted metal debris and the large amount of construction and salvage equipment that is trying to remove the wreckage. The president also met with the families of the deceased for more than an hour.
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Eight workers – immigrants from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador – were filling holes in the bridge when it collapsed in the middle of the night. Two men were rescued, and the bodies of the remaining three were recovered over the next few days. The search for other victims continued.
Authorities have established a temporary alternative route for vessels involved in debris removal. According to the White House, the Army Corps of Engineers will open limited-access shipping lanes for barge container ships and some vessels transporting automobiles and agricultural equipment by the end of April, and normal shipping at the Port of Baltimore by May 31. He wants to recover his abilities.
More than 50 salvage divers and 12 cranes are on site helping to cut out sections of the bridge and remove them from the main waterway.
