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Divers have recovered two bodies of the missing construction workers, who were repairing the bridge at the time of the collision. The remaining four are believed to be trapped beneath the water. All were immigrants from Mexico and Central America.
The largest operational crane on the US Eastern Seaboard loomed over Baltimore’s port on Friday, poised to commence the daunting task of clearing the wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. This comes just days after a cargo ship collided with the bridge, causing a section to collapse into the harbour below.
As of midday Friday, crews were still assessing the extent of the damage. The massive crane, capable of lifting up to 1,000 tons, arrived late Thursday night and is expected to begin removing debris from the water on Saturday morning, according to US Coast Guard spokesperson Carmen Carver. Another crane is on its way and is anticipated to arrive soon to provide additional assistance.
State and federal authorities are prioritizing the clearing of the bustling port and the reconstruction of the bridge. The incident occurred when the Dali, a large container ship that had lost power, collided with a support column early on Tuesday, causing the structure to collapse and tragically leaving six workers presumed dead.
Divers have recovered two bodies of the missing construction workers, who were repairing the bridge at the time of the collision. The remaining four are believed to be trapped beneath the water. All were immigrants from Mexico and Central America.
Finding the remaining bodies is the top priority, Maryland Governor Wes Moore told a press conference on Thursday. Crews must also assess how to remove the stuck vessel, loaded with thousands of containers and trapped by bridge debris.
“The Dali is almost as long as the Eiffel Tower and the Dali has the Key Bridge on top of it. We’re talking 3,000 or 4,000 tons of steel that’s sitting on top of that ship, so we’ve got work to do,” Moore said at Thursday’s press conference.
Scott Cowan, president of the International Longshoremen’s Association Local 333, said the union was scrambling to help its roughly 2,400 members whose jobs are at risk of drying up.
“If there’s no ships, there’s no work,” he said. “We’re doing everything we can.”
The huge vessel was carrying nearly 4,700 shipping containers, 56 of them with hazardous materials inside. Fourteen were destroyed, officials said. Industrial hygienists who evaluated the contents identified them as perfumes and soaps, the Key Bridge Joint Information Center said, and there was “no immediate threat to the environment.” Containers are hanging dangerously off the side of the ship, Coast Guard Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath said. “We’re trying to keep our first responders … as safe as possible.”
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