Baltimore bridge collapse: Who are the 6 people presumed dead?
27 March 2024
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Baltimore is focused on recovery after Tuesday morning’s catastrophic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
The community is reeling from the ship crash that sent the bridge crumbling down and plunged eight construction workers into the water. Two of them were rescued, but six of them are now believed to be dead.
“The top priority for me right now is still the recovery. We’ve got to bring these families closure,” Maryland Governor Wes Moore said.
Divers are searching for the bodies of those six workers. Both local and federal leaders are expressing sympathy for their families and friends.
“Even as those families come to terms with this grief and even as those recovery operations continue work is underway to investigate what happened,” Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg said.
On Wednesday morning officials with the National Transportation Safety Board were able to go aboard the cargo ship ‘Dali’ to recover the data recorded and other evidence for their investigation.
“It’s going to be a long one. But we have to make sure that we get the answers, that we are seeking in this,” Moore said.
The collapse has brought shipping in one of America’s largest and busiest ports to a halt. Local and federal leaders say they’re trying to clear the waterway so it can reopen as soon as possible.
“Given the magnitude and importance of this response is going to be very very aggressive.” U.S. Coast Guard Vice Admiral Peter Gautier said.
While the Coast Guard is working to remove the ship and bridge debris from the water, Sec. Buttigieg says he’s meeting with shippers to coordinate the supply chain.
“We know that it can’t happen overnight. And so we’re going to have to manage the impacts in the meantime,” Buttigieg said.
President Biden promises the federal government will cover the cost of rebuilding the bridge. Congress may need to approve funding to do that and the project will likely be a long one.
“Rebuilding will not be quick or easy or cheap, but we will get it done,” Buttigieg said.
But he adds that it’s too soon to know what that will cost or exactly how long it will take.