Six construction workers are presumed dead after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed on Tuesday as trade chaos mounts.
A search and rescue mission for the six missing men, all construction workers who fell from the Patapsco River, was called off last night after Coast Guard rear admiral Shannon Gilreath said there was no hope of finding them alive due to the frigid water and the length of time elapsed since the accident.
“Based on the length of time that we’ve gone in this search the extensive search efforts that have gone into it, the water temperature, at this point we do not believe we are going to find these individuals alive,” the official said.
It comes as fears over the economic disruption caused by the bridge collapse mount.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge was a critical link for trucking and motor vehicles linking Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York. It was also the busiest in the US for car shipments, handling more than 750,000 vehicles in 2023, according to data from the Maryland Port Administration.
Rep Carol Miller, who sits on the trade subcommittee, told Fox News the bridge collapse will “affect trade.”
“I’m worried about the families and all of the inconvenience that will occur because the bridge is gone. It was such a good link,” she said.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon M Scott declares local state of emergency
Michelle Del Rey27 March 2024 10:00
Construction firm of missing workers says bridge collapse was ‘completely unforeseen’
A senior executive at the construction firm that employed the six missing workers has said the bridge collapse was “completely unforeseen.”
“This was so completely unforeseen,” Jeffrey Pritzker, executive vice president at Brawner Builders, told The Associated Press.
“We don’t know what else to say. We take such great pride in safety, and we have cones and signs and lights and barriers and flaggers.”
Martha Mchardy27 March 2024 09:47
Authorities scrambled to clear Key Bridge seconds before impact, audio reveals
Harrowing audio reveals authorities scrambled to stop vehicles crossing the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore moments before it collapsed.
Six construction workers who were on the bridge as it tumbled into the water are presumed dead, and a search for them has been suspended.
The incident happened after a cargo ship crashed into the structure in the early hours of Tuesday morning (26 March).
Authorities scrambled to clear Key Bridge seconds before impact, audio reveals
Harrowing audio reveals authorities scrambled to stop vehicles crossing the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore moments before it collapsed. Six construction workers who were on the bridge as it tumbled into the water are presumed dead, and a search for them has been suspended. The incident happened after a cargo ship crashed into the structure in the early hours of Tuesday morning (26 March). It had made a mayday call moments before the collision. “We’ve got to stop all traffic,” an official is heard saying in dramatic audio released by the Maryland Transportation Authority, as the incident unfolds.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar27 March 2024 09:30
In pictures: Vigil held for victims of Baltimore bridge collapse
A prayer vigil was held for the victims of the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse in Baltimore on Tuesday.
Community members gathered at Mount Olive Baptist Church of Turner Station to mourn the victims and honor first responders.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott was among those in attendance.
People pray for officials including Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, center, during a vigil
(AP)
People pray during a vigil for victims of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse
(Getty Images)
First responders attend a vigil at the Mount Olive Baptist Church for victims of the Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse
(Getty Images)
Martha Mchardy27 March 2024 09:24
Maryland Transportation Authority advises drivers to use alternate routes in wake of bridge collapse
About 30,000 cars crossed the Francis Scott Key bridge every day. Now, the state transportation authority is urging commuters to use alternate routes.
Drivers are being told to avoid the I-695 southeast corridor. The I-695 outer loop is closed at MD 10 (exit 2), the agency said. The inner loop is closed at MD 157 Peninsula Exp (exit 43). Drivers should use I-95 or I-895 alternate routes.
Any additional updates will be posted here.
Michelle Del Rey27 March 2024 09:00
Over 1,000 US army engineers pressed into action
More than 1,000 members of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have been pressed into action to assist in the aftermath of the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge.
The USACE yesterday said the team included engineering, construction, contracting and operations specialists, who would work with local, state and federal agencies to remove the fallen bridge to clear the shipping channel.
“Our emergency managers are closely monitoring the incident and coordinating with partner agencies for any potential support requests,” it said.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar27 March 2024 08:30
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser reportedly deleted her response to the news about the collapse
Michelle Del Rey27 March 2024 08:00
Why did the Baltimore bridge collapse so quickly?
A huge shipping vessel that collided with a major bridge in Baltimore has left numerous people missing and could cause significant economic and social disruption, experts say.
Many questions remain about the collision, including why the ship hit with the bridge in the first place. But many of them are structural: how was the ship able to reach the bridge, why was it not protected against such collisions, and why the bridge collapsed so quickly once the collision had happened.
Experts say it may be too early to say exactly what happened during the collision and the collapse that resulted. But they caution that bridges of this kind are specifically built with protections against such crashes – and that it may have required a huge impact to make the bridge fall in this way.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar27 March 2024 07:30
Live: View of Baltimore bridge wreckage after cargo ship collision as search for six called off
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar27 March 2024 07:23
Key Bridge collapse ‘something out of an action movie’, says Baltimore’s mayor
Ariana Baio27 March 2024 07:00
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
