Two bodies pulled from vehicle at Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse site during search for 6 missing Baltimore victims
THE bodies of two men were pulled from a pickup truck that plunged into the water following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
The bridge in Baltimore collapsed at around 1:30 am on Tuesday after one of its support piers was slammed by the cargo ship, MV Dali.
Colonel Roland L. Butler of the Maryland State Police confirmed in a press conference on Wednesday that two men were recovered from the wreckage and their families were notified.
The victims were identified as Alejandro Fuentes, 35, from Mexico, and Dorlian Castillo Cabrera, 26, from Guatemala.
"Divers recovered two victims of this tragedy trapped within the vehicle," said Butler.
The red pickup truck was found shortly before 10 am on Wednesday in about 25 feet of water near the bridge's middle span, he said.
BALTIMORE BRIDGE COLLAPSE
The men were workers who were on the bridge when it collapsed, said Butler.
They were filling potholes on the bridge at the time of the incident said officials.
One of them was identified by a driver's license in his pocket, while the other was identified by fingerprint, said Butler.
Divers were in the water by early Wednesday morning for recovery efforts as federal transportation safety investigators boarded ships to collect evidence.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore said the divers faced dangerous conditions in the search.
"They are down there in darkness where they can literally see about a foot in front of them. They are trying to navigate mangled metal, and they’re also in a place it is now presumed that people have lost their lives," he said.
Among the missing were people from Mexico, Honduras, and El Salvador.
Miguel Luna, 49, is one of the men presumed dead, with his wife María saying she is anxiously waiting for news of his whereabouts.
Maynor Suazo, a father of two from Honduras, is also believed to be missing.
He was described by his brother as entrepreneurial and hard-working, having started working with the company that was performing maintenance on the bridge last fall.
'A LITTLE BIT OF DECENCY'
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott asked for people to stop spreading misinformation in the wake of the collapse.
"I'm asking for folks to have a little bit of decency and respect. Don't play bridge engineer online or in the media," said Scott.
"Remember that these are people's family members who lost their lives."
A spokesperson from the National Transportation Safety Board said investigators boarded the Dali cargo ship on Tuesday night to get data from the voyage data recorder, also known as the black box.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, collapsed after a cargo ship bound for Asia smashed into one of its support pillars. Here is what we know so far:
- Search and rescue operations launched
- Six people were reported missing
- On Wednesday, the bodies of Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera were pulled from the water
- Sonar technology found cars in the water
- Baltimore mayor compares the scene to an action movie
- Cops do not suspect any terror links
- Cargo ship appears to have suffered power outages before the collision
- White House on hand to offer federal assistance
They returned to the ship on Wednesday after an agency lab got the data on Tuesday night.
Jennifer Homendy, chair of the NTSB, said the team is expected to be in Baltimore for five to 10 days.
However, the investigation could take anywhere from 12 to 24 months to complete, said said.
A preliminary report could be released in about two to four weeks.
TOTAL DESTRUCTION
Shocking video showed the remains of the Francis Scott Key Bridge as mangled pieces were spotted poking out from the water.
The NTSB released footage from the collapsed bridge on Tuesday evening, giving an aerial view of the tragedy.
It showed the scope of the incident as segments from the 1.6-mile bridge were laid on top of the MV Dali.
The Singapore-registered container ship, reported losing power before it smashed into one of the bridge's columns.
The ship was reportedly carrying about 56 containers of hazardous materials, including corrosive, flammable, and lithium-ion batteries, said Homendy.
At the time of the incident, there were 21 crew members aboard the ship.
Don't play bridge engineer online or in the media
Mayor Brandon Scott
The pilot reportedly tried to slow the vessel down before impact, said the head of the American Pilots' Association.
The crew tried to keep the ship from turning right, ordering a port anchor to be dropped as the pilot asked dispatchers to shut down the bridge.
First responders leaped into action and were able to stop cars from driving over the bridge and worked to move people off the structure.
"One of the survivors, who I had the opportunity to speak with, one of the things he mentioned to me was as he was moving off of the bridge — and literally saw the bridge fall right after he moved off — it was because it was a first responder who was telling him to move off the bridge," said Moore.
However, six workers were plunged into the cold waters, including Miguel Luna and Maynor Suazo, who are still missing.
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US Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said in a press conference that the ship had undergone "routine engine maintenance" in the port before it crashed into the bridge.
He added that authorities weren't informed of any problems with the vessel.