Six people were declared dead late on Tuesday, March 26, in the United States East following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore.
The Maryland State Police superintendent declared the start of a search and recovery operation.
“Based on the length of time that we have gone in this search, the extensive search efforts that we’ve put into it, the water temperature that at this point we do not believe that we’re going to find any of these individuals still alive,”
“And so this evening at about 7:30, we are going to suspend the active search and rescue efforts. Coast Guard is not going away. None of our partners are going away, but we’re just going to transition to a different phase.”
Early on Tuesday, March 26, the cargo ship Dali, which was sailing from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka, lost power and rammed into the bridge.
Just before the collision, the crew of the ship sent out a mayday call.
The tragedy occurred in the middle of the night, long before the busy morning commute on the bridge that was used by 12 million vehicles last year.
The six individuals who went missing were working as a construction crew to patch potholes on the bridge.
The rescuers pulled two people out of the water one of whom was treated at the hospital and discharged hours
Authorities didn’t think anyone was inside the several cars that ended up in the river.
Jesus Campos, a crew member who has worked on the bridge for Brawner Builders, said he was informed that the workers were taking a break and that some of them were relax.
“I know that a month ago, I was there, and I know what it feels like when the trailers pass,” Campos said. “Imagine knowing that is falling. It is so hard. One would not know what to do.”
