2 Bodies Recovered, 4 Still Missing from Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse

Divers have recovered the bodies of two men missing since Tuesday’s collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. Four other construction workers are still missing. Now we’re learning more about the victims as well as what happened in the moments before the ship struck the bridge.

Divers uncovered the bodies of two men trapped in a red pickup 25 feet underwater as officials seek answers after the cargo ship Dali slammed into the Baltimore bridge early Tuesday.

Col. Roland L. Butler of the Maryland State Police revealed, “The victims were identified as Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35 years old, of Baltimore, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26 years old of Dundalk.”

The four men who remain missing are presumed dead. The victims, who were part of an eight-man construction crew fixing potholes on the bridge, were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. 
  
Samuel Rodriguez of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference issued a statement saying, “This unfortunate event underscores the sacrifice and dedication of so many immigrants who come to this country willing to work hard and build a better future for themselves and their families.”

NTSB agents have boarded the ship and are reviewing the damage and collecting evidence, including interviews with the captain and other crew members.  

Officials also took possession of the ship’s black box.

So far, data shows:
 * the captain called for tugboats at 1:26 a.m.
 * at 1:27 the pilot reported they lost all power and were getting close to the bridge 
 * at 1:29 sounds of a collision could be heard.

Officials say the vessel had at least 56 containers of hazardous materials on board at the time of the crash.

U.S. Coast Guard Vice Admiral Peter Gautier said, “Even though they’re hazardous, we’ve determined that there really isn’t any kind of threat to the public.”

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard says the cargo ship had undergone routine engine maintenance in port before the accident.  

The port remains closed, cutting off a major shipping hub. Local, state, and federal leaders are bracing for the fallout. 

“This is not just impacting Maryland, this is impacting that farmer in Kentucky, it’s impacting that car dealer in Michigan. So it is imperative that we get this bridge rebuilt, that we get the port back up and going,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.

While the bridge collapse is not expected to dramatically impact the U.S. economy, it is expected to create challenges. The port of Baltimore set a record last year for the amount of foreign cargo handled at its point of entry, including cars, heavy farm and construction machinery, imported sugar and gypsum. 

“It’s one of the most important elements for the economy in the northeast. I’m directing my team to move heaven and Earth to open the port and rebuild the bridge as soon as you humanly possible,” President Biden said.

In addition to the disruption of port activity, the collapse of the Key Bridge eliminates a significant route for vehicles.

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