Tragedy Strikes: Four workers presumed dead after Baltimore bridge collapse
6:32 PM EDT, March 28, 2024
Divers recovered the bodies of two construction workers who perished after the Francis Scott Key Bridge over the Patapsco River in Baltimore, United States collapsed. At the catastrophe's moment, the victims were in a truck that plummeted into the water, as they were engaged in road repair work.
Divers in the United States retrieved the bodies of 35-year-old Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes from Baltimore and 26-year-old Dorlian Castillo Cabrera from Dundalk, Maryland.
The identities of two other missing workers, presumed dead, have been determined. They are Miguel Luna from El Salvador, and Mayor Suazo Sandoval, a Honduran citizen and father of three. The names of the other two victims remain undisclosed.
On Tuesday, rescue teams dedicated hours to searching the Patapsco River for six construction workers involved in road repairs when a vessel collided with the bridge.
The American Coast Guard suspended the search after dusk, citing the low water temperatures and the significant time elapsed since the disappearance as indicators that the workers were no longer alive.
Jennifer Homendy, the Chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, announced in a Wednesday press conference that investigators boarded the 1,260-foot Dali, retrieved data from the recorder, and started interviewing the crew members.
Homendy highlighted that the 56 containers on board carried 842 tons of hazardous materials, including corrosive substances, flammable components, and items like lithium-ion batteries.
The Bridge's nearly 50-year history
The Francis Scott Key Bridge, also known as the Key Bridge, stood as an iconic Baltimore landmark. Opening in 1977, the arch bridge was a key engineering feat meant to improve connectivity between the areas east and west of the Patapsco Bay.
The bridge was named in honor of Francis Scott Key, the lawyer and poet who penned "The Star-Spangled Banner", the national anthem of the United States. Key's final resting place is in Baltimore, which led to the bridge being named as a tribute to his link with the city.
