Six construction workers repairing a hole in Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge when it collapsed after colliding with a cargo ship are presumed dead and the search has been called off, authorities said Tuesday evening.
“Given the time spent searching, the large scale search effort, the water temperatures, etc., we do not believe we will find any living individuals at this time,” U.S. Coast Guard Maj. Gen. Shannon Gilreath told reporters. .
Maryland State Police Col. Roland L. Butler Jr. said the search had transitioned from search and rescue to a recovery operation, adding that divers would return to the water at 6 a.m. Wednesday.
“The last thing we want to do is throw a diver into the water with changing currents, cold temperatures, very poor visibility and lots of metal and other unknown objects in the water,” he said. says.
Construction crews from Maryland-based Browner Builders were making repairs overnight on a major trunk line in Baltimore when the container ship MV Dali struck the span, immediately capsizing the line. did.
Two people were rescued from the frigid Patapsco River early in the search, with only one person hospitalized and released later that afternoon. The other person refused treatment.
Some of the construction workers who spent the night fixing potholes have welcomed babies within the past year, one co-worker said.
Six victims were reported missing in the icy river as emergency officials conducted a massive search and rescue operation that included dive rescue teams and the U.S. Coast Guard.
“This is a horrible, horrible, unexpected tragedy,” said Jeffrey Pritzker, executive vice president of Browner Builders. baltimore sun Several of the workers he said were “supposedly dead.”
“None of us could have imagined something like this would happen. We are all shocked and in pain.”
Sonar detected the car submerged in water about 50 feet deep. Authorities were searching seven vehicles in the cold 47-degree Fahrenheit river.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore issued a “mayday” warning that the Dali cargo ship lost power shortly before the crash, and the ship was still hurtling toward the bridge at “a very, very high speed.” he added.
Still, the Mayday call saved lives, Moore insisted, noting that authorities were then able to use their wits to close the critical 2.6-mile-long bridge to further traffic. did.
Moore said the ship was traveling at 8 knots and was going about 9 miles per hour when it hit the bridge.
Horrifying video footage shows the bridge collapse shortly after the ship struck the structure’s central support. The ship then caught fire and thick black smoke spread across the busy port.
Video shows the ship’s power flashing just before the crash, then turning back on.
Singapore-based Synergy Marine Group, which operates the ship, said the two pilots and 22 Indian crew members on board the ship were “rescued, but there are no reports of injuries.”
According to data from Marine Traffic, the Dali was heading from Baltimore to Sri Lanka, flying the Singaporean flag.
Synergy said it was investigating the cause of the disaster and cooperating with authorities.
“This is an unthinkable tragedy,” Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said from the scene shortly after the state of emergency was declared. The FBI was also on the scene.
“I never thought I’d be able to physically see the Key Bridge collapse like that. It was like something out of an action movie.”
All vessel traffic to and from the Port of Baltimore will be suspended until further notice, but the port will remain open to truck traffic, officials said.
President Biden assured Americans on Tuesday that the federal government plans to fully pay for the rebuilding of the bridge, which serves as a major shipping hub on the East Coast.
“Together we will rebuild our ports,” Biden said.
Opened in 1977, the bridge is named after the author of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
