Search and rescue operations have been halted in Baltimore after authorities said six construction workers are presumed dead following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday morning.
The bridge crumpled into the Patapsco River around 1:30am after a large cargo ship crashed into one of its support pillars, causing a portion of the 2.6km span to give way in a dramatic scene caught on video. Two other workers were rescued, with one hospitalized in serious condition.
After over 24 hours of desperate search efforts, the U.S. Coast Guard and Maryland State Police announced the mission had transitioned from rescue to recovery due to the increasingly dangerous conditions in the darkened waters.
“At this point, we do not believe we are going to find any of these individuals still alive,” said Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath solemnly. Dive teams will return at first light on Wednesday to try to locate the remains of the missing workers.
The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, a vital transportation artery carrying 30,000 vehicles per day, has triggered a state of emergency in Baltimore and across Maryland. It also forced the shutdown of the Port of Baltimore, one of the nation’s busiest shipping hubs, causing immediate supply chain disruptions.
“This is going to take some time,” President Joe Biden said of the intensive recovery and rebuilding process ahead. “The people of Baltimore can count on us, though, to stick with them at every step of the way until the port is reopened and the bridge is rebuilt.”
The catastrophe began unfolding when the Singapore-owned cargo vessel Dali reportedly suffered an engine failure and loss of steering shortly before slamming into the bridge at low speed. An urgent mayday call from the crew allowed authorities to partly clear the area before the collapse.
While the incident does not appear intentional, the National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation examining potential issues with both the ship and the aging bridge’s structural integrity.
For the workers from Brawner Builders who were carrying out routine maintenance on the span as it collapsed, the tragedy has left their employer devastated.
“This was so completely unforeseen,” said company executive Jeffrey Pritzker. “We take such great pride in safety…but we never foresaw that the bridge would collapse.”
