A cargo ship crashed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday morning, causing a near-total collapse of the span and halting vessel traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore.
Six construction workers are believed to have fallen from the collapsing bridge into the frigid waters of the Patapsco River below. The bodies of two of the victims have been recovered so far, while four remain missing and are presumed dead, officials said.
Two construction workers were rescued and six went missing in the immediate aftermath of the collapse, officials said. The bodies of two of the victims were recovered from the water on Wednesday amid ongoing search and recovery efforts, while four remain missing and are presumed dead, officials said.
Mar 28, 2024, 6:02 PM EDT
Biden administration approves $60 million for bridge costs
The Biden administration approved $60 million in emergency relief funds for rebuilding the bridge hours after the receiving the request from the state of Maryland, the White House said Thursday evening.
"The federal emergency funds we're releasing today will help Maryland begin urgent work, to be followed by further resources as recovery and rebuilding efforts progress," U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. "President Biden has been clear: the federal government will do everything it takes to help rebuild the bridge and get the Port of Baltimore back open."
Mar 28, 2024, 4:47 PM EDT
3 responding officers honored at Orioles' opening day for 'courage, bravery'
Three officers from the Maryland Transportation Authority were celebrated at the Baltimore Orioles' opening day on Thursday for their bravery responding to the bridge collapse.
"Their courage, bravery, and quick thinking saved lives," Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said in a statement. "When duty called, they answered. When crisis struck, they stepped into the breach for total strangers. In this time of challenge, they’re a bright light for our nation and our state."
The officers -- Sgt. Paul Pastorek, Cpl. Jeremy Herbert and officer Garry Kirts -- said in a joint statement, "You train for years to respond to tragedy as an officer, but no amount of training could have prepared anyone for the events that took place on the Francis Scott Key Bridge."
"We were proud to carry out our duties as officers of this state to save the lives that we could, and we are grateful for the incredible amount of support from this community that we love so much," they said. "While your messages and outreaches are so appreciated, we respectfully ask for privacy at this time as we mourn the lives of those lost and spend time with those we hold dear."
-ABC News’ Beatrice Peterson
Mar 28, 2024, 4:26 PM EDT
What we know about the victims
The bodies of two of the six construction workers killed were recovered on Wednesday, found by divers trapped in a pickup truck submerged underwater, police said.
The other four victims have not been recovered.
The workers found on Wednesday were identified by police as Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, a native of Mexico who lived in Baltimore, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, a native of Guatemala who lived in Dundalk, Maryland.
Dorlian Castillo, 26, from Guatemala.
Dorlian Castillo/Facebook
Among the four still missing is construction worker Miguel Luna, 49, a father of five, and Maynor Suazo Sandoval, a father of two.
Miguel Luna.
Family Photo
Maynor Yasir Suazo Sandoval is seen here in an undated file photo.
Divers are on pause due to the "hazardous conditions" caused by the collision, and officials are enforcing a 2,000-yard safety zone, according to the Unified Command leading the response.
A view of the Dali cargo vessel on March 27, 2024 which crashed yesterday into the Francis Scott Key Bridge causing it to collapse in Baltimore.
Mike Segar/Reuters
The Unified Command is made up of agencies including the Coast Guard, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Maryland State Police.
"First responders have observed a sheen around the vessels," the Unified Command said.
Perfumes and soaps make up the majority of the 13 impacted containers with hazardous materials, according to the Unified Command.
A view of the Dali cargo vessel which crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge causing it to collapse in Baltimore, March 26, 2024.
Julia Nikhinson/Reuters
"Crews continue to assess and monitor for spilled oils and hazardous substances to prevent further discharge," the Unified Command said in a statement Thursday.
"We have been conducting air monitoring on the vessel and around the vessel with our contractor. No volatile organic compounds or flammable vapors were observed," the Unified Command said. "Pollution and debris removal operations are on-going. At this time, no atmospheric hazards have been detected."
In an aerial view, cargo ship Dali is seen after running into and collapsing the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024 in Baltimore.
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
The Unified Command said it’s also monitoring water quality.
The Environmental Protection Agency said it sent two coordinators to work with the Coast Guard and other agencies.
