Salvage crews are preparing to use explosives to separate the Dali container ship from the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, more than a month after it sank.
Joint Forces Chief Petty Officer Ronald Hodges said precision explosives would be used to free parts of the bridge stuck on top of containers on the ship. NBC News reported.
The crew who remained aboard the ship since the initial crash will be evacuated when the explosives detonate.
“Unified Command made that choice with safety as our top priority,” Hodges said. The safety of the salvage crew also remains a top priority.
Asked why the ship’s crew remained on board, Gov. Wes Moore (D) said what they were doing was “best practice, historical best practice” for removing large amounts of steel. ”.
“We know that as soon as that surgery and precision cutting is complete, we will also have the tools to get that steel out of the water, safely refloat Dali, and reopen federal waterways.” he said. , WBAL TV reported.
A spokesperson for the shipowner said safety was everyone’s top priority. Officials have communicated their plans to the company, and a representative will remain on site.
“Within the salvage community, some of the best experts in the field are working on this response in Baltimore,” spokesman Darrell Wilson told NBC News.
Crews began cutting and removing the first debris from the bridge just days after the collapse.
The detonation process is expected to take several days and is weather dependent. Hodges said he would do everything he could to prevent further damage, according to NBC News.
The announcement came as rescue teams recovered the sixth and last missing body of a construction worker killed in the collapse. The body of Jose Mainor López, 37, was discovered by divers.
Dali was able to issue a last-minute mayday call when the power went out on March 26, and police stopped traffic just before the accident.
Eight construction workers who had been repairing the road overnight were unable to get off the bridge in time. Two workers were rescued and survived, but the bodies of the other five victims were recovered after the crash.
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