Baltimore bridge collapse: Third body recovered from water as Biden meets with victims’ families

The body of a third victim has been recovered by divers from the wreckage of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, officials said Friday.

Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval, 38, was the third man to be retrieved from the water after he plunged to his death with five other construction workers.

The bridge collapsed at 1.30am on 26 March after a cargo ship collided with a supporting pier. Six men, all of whom were Latino immigrant workers, were on the bridge at the time and are presumed dead, authorities have said.

Suazo-Sandoval, a native of Honduras, was married with a son, 18, and five-year-old daughter. He also leaves behind his siblings, who live in both Honduras and Maryland.

Carlos Alexis Suazo-Sandoval, Maynor’s brother, told The Washington Post that he was relieved the body had been found.

The bodies of two other victims were covered in the immediate aftermath of the collapse from a vehicle that had fallen into the Patapsco River. Dorian Castillo Cabrera, a 25-year-old from Guatemala, and Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, from Mexico.

Three more workers are still missing in the river.

“The collapse of the Key Bridge is undoubtedly one of the most challenging tragedies we have faced as a law enforcement agency. Along with our local, state and federal public safety partners, we will not give up,” Colonel Roland L Butler, Jr, Superintendent of the Maryland Department of State Police, said.

“There are families still waiting to hear if we have found their loved one. I can promise you, we are fully committed to finding closure for each of these families.”

President Joe Biden travelled to Baltimore on Friday to meet with the victims’ families and take an aerial tour of the wreckage on Marine One. The US Army Corps of Engineers announced that a new channel will be completed by the end of April and allow one of the country’s busiest ports to begin to reopen.

There are currently two temporary channels open but they are not deep enough for large container ships to pass through.The container ship involved in the crash, the Dali, remains stranded at the port.

This comes as new video footage has been released showing dive teams entering the water around the wreckage – revealing the challenging conditions authorities are working in.

Key points

• Baltimore bridge collapse dive team recovers body of third construction worker

• Biden gets aerial tour of collapsed Baltimore bridge

• Timeline given for reopening of Baltimore port

• Dali ship owners deny responsibility for deadly bridge crash

• Baltimore opens temporary shipping route around wreckage

First vessel passes through new temporary channel

Friday 5 April 2024 10:30 , Michelle Del Rey

Biden’s visit to Baltimore: The schedule

Friday 5 April 2024 11:00 , Rachel Sharp

12.30pm ET – President receives an aerial tour of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge with Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Commandant of the United States Coast Guard Admiral Linda Fagan, and Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the US Army Corps of Engineers Lieutenant General Scott Spellmon

1.35pm ET – President participates in an operational briefing on response and recovery efforts with the Maryland Transportation Authority

1.55pm ET – Mr Biden meets with federal personnel, state and local officials, and first responders

2.30pm ET – President delivers remarks reaffirming his commitment to the people of Baltimore as they rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge and reopen the Port of Baltimore

3.15pm ET – President meets with the loved ones of the six individuals who tragically lost their lives when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed

WATCH: White House vows to ‘get to the bottom’ of Baltimore Bridge collapse

Friday 5 April 2024 11:30 , Michelle Del Rey

Gov Wes Moore gives an update one week after bridge’s collapse

Friday 5 April 2024 12:30 , Michelle Del Rey

See it: Up-close view of the Dali ship under rubble

Friday 5 April 2024 13:30 , Michelle Del Rey

US congressman speaks out against Republicans opposed to funding bridge construction

Friday 5 April 2024 14:30 , Michelle Del Rey

James E Clyburn, a Democratic congressman from South Carolina, spoke out against some members of US Congress opposed to funding rebuilding efforts for the Baltimore Francis Scott Key Bridge in an interview with NBC News on Tuesday.

“The fact of the matter is, all of us, every state in the nation, all 50 of us, will take our turns needing this kind of assistance”.

Local leaders acknowledge ‘long road’ ahead

Friday 5 April 2024 15:16 , Michelle Del Rey

Today marked one week since the fatal collapse of Baltimore’s Key Bridge, which took six construction workers’ lives.

Speaking at a Tuesday press conference, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott called the incident an “unpseakable tragedy.”

He added, “the road ahead is long and difficult” but we will “utilize every tool” to support the community and businesses.

Leaders also underscored that the bad weather has made the mission to clear the wreckage even more difficult.

US Army Corps of Engineers Col Estee Pinchasin shed light on some of the salvage efforts.

The state of the wreckage has made it difficult to know “where to cut, how to cut” into the tresses submerged in the water. She added, the workers are operating in an “extremely unforgiving” area, but they are developing a plan.

“The compelxity is even more complex than we thought,” Gov Moore said, adding “there are still a lot of unknowns.”

US Joint House Subcommittee begins hearing on safety and security at US Ports

Friday 5 April 2024 15:26 , Michelle Del Rey

House representatives convened in Miami on Friday to discuss emerging challenges to safety and security at US ports as well as the state of port infrastructure and future investment needs.

Watch the hearing here.

Every port is vulnerable to an accident or attack

Friday 5 April 2024 16:13 , Michelle Del Rey

Ranking members of Congress are drilling Coast Guard officials about ways that accidents like the Baltimore bridge collapse could be prevented.

Officials said that every bridge across the country is vulnerable to accidents like last week’s that could put US ports out of commission for months.

Economic disaster loans available to small business owners

Friday 5 April 2024 16:38 , Michelle Del Rey

President Joe Biden to depart White House for Baltimore

Friday 5 April 2024 17:00 , Michelle Del Rey

President Joe Biden is about to depart the White House for Baltimore, according to his official schedule. The president will receive an aerial tour of the wreckage around 12.30pm. He’ll later participate in a briefing on relief and recovery efforts.

Governor Wes Moore signs executive action to provide financial relief to port workers

Friday 5 April 2024 17:31 , Michelle Del Rey

Maryland will provide another $60m to workers and businesses struggling after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

“The Port of Baltimore is one of our state’s vital economic organs and the thousands of workers and businesses that depend on Port operations have been directly impacted by the Key Bridge collapse,” Mr Moore said in a news release.

“As we work as quickly – and as safely – as possible to clear the debris and open the commercial shipping channels, we are working in partnership with our partners at the local and federal levels of government, private sector, nonprofit sector, and philanthropic sector to respond to this economic crisis with the urgency that it deserves.”

The executive order allows the governor to pull $25m from the state’s rainy day fund and $35m from agency budgets.

Friday 5 April 2024 18:28 , Michelle Del Rey

Republican Representative Carlos A Gimenez of Florida probes army personnel about whether anything could be done to mitigate bridge collapses in the future during a Congressional hearing on Friday.

“I believe in Murphy’s law... it just says anything that can happen will. And obviously, look, it happened in Baltimore. It could happen. A ship lost power. It hit the bridge. The bridge collapsed,” he said.

“Could we have done something so that even in the event of Murphy’s law taking effect that we had protection around the bridge structure so that it would not collapse?” Mr Gimenzes asked. “Because now the largest port for vehicles in the US is knocked out of action”.

Biden administration asking Congress to foot the entire bill for rebuilding bridge

Friday 5 April 2024 19:06 , Michelle Del Rey

President Joe Biden’s administration is asking Congress to allow the federal government to use taxpayer funds to reconstruct the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Shalanda Young, director of the Office of Management and Budget, said the request was “consistent with past catastrophic bridge collapses, including in 2007, when the Congress acted in a bipartisan manner within days of the I-35W bridge collapse in Minnesota”.

She made the remarks in a letter to congressional leaders.

“We stand ready to work with the Congress to ensure the City of Baltimore and the State of Maryland has what it needs to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which is critical to the nation’s workers and economy,” She wrote.

Read the letter here:

Biden gets aerial tour of collapsed Baltimore bridge

Friday 5 April 2024 19:22 , Graeme Massie

Biden gets briefing on bridge recovery efforts

Friday 5 April 2024 19:59 , Graeme Massie

Timeline given for reopening of Baltimore port

Friday 5 April 2024 20:28 , Graeme Massie

The US Army Corps of Engineers has announced a “tentative” timeline for the reopening of the vital shipping channel near the Port of Baltimore, following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge.

The Corps said it expects to open a channel 280-feet wide and 35-feet deep by the end of April, and reopen the permanent 700-foot wide, 50-foot deep channel by the end of May.

Currently, vessel traffic in and out of the Port of Baltimore remains suspended. Trucks however are still being processed inside the facility’s marine terminals.

“We appreciate everyone’s patience as we continue to work through this unimaginable situation. We thank all of our incredible federal, state, and local partners who are working around the clock to make this happen,” the Corps said in a statement on Thursday evening.

“We remind everyone to keep their thoughts on the families that have suffered unreplaceable losses. Thank you to all of our valued business partners for your continued support of the Port of Baltimore during this incredibly difficult time.”

Biden delivering remarks from Port of Baltimore

Friday 5 April 2024 20:32 , Michelle Del Rey

President Joe Biden is delivering remarks from the Port of Baltimore.

Watch them here.

President Biden expected to meet with families of the victims

Friday 5 April 2024 20:48 , Michelle Del Rey

“I’ve been there,” said President Joe Biden, reflecting on the what it feels like to lose relatives in an accident. The president lost his wife and daughter in a car crash in 1972 and his son, Beau, to brain cancer in 2015.

“The anger, the pain, the depth of loss is so profound,” he continued, stating that the memory of a loved one “is going to bring smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye”.

The families are expected to meet with Biden this afternoon.

Biden vows ‘we will not rest’ until Baltimore’s Key Bridge is rebuilt as he visits scene of disaster

Friday 5 April 2024 21:01 , Michelle Del Rey

As workers continue efforts to cut apart and remove the twisted wreckage of what was once the Francis Scott Key Bridge, President Joe Biden vowed that he and his administration “will not rest” until a replacement span is rebuild and carrying vehicles across the Patapsco River once more.

Standing outside the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Department headquarters not far from where the bridge once stood, Mr Biden repeated the promise he made in remarks delivered from the White House, mere hours after the container ship Dali struck one of the half-century-old span’s supports, bringing it down and blocking all maritime traffic in and out of Baltimore’s harbour.

As Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and a bevy of other Old Line State dignaries looked on, Mr Biden said:  “We’re going to move heaven and earth to rebuild this bridge”.

Read more from Andrew Feinburg.

Biden vows ‘we will not rest’ until Baltimore’s Key Bridge is rebuilt

Watch it: Baltimore divers continue search of collapsed Key Bridge and cargo ship wreck

Friday 5 April 2024 21:27 , Michelle Del Rey

One of the victims texted his girlfriend before bridge collapsed

Friday 5 April 2024 21:57 , Michelle Del Rey

President Joe Biden said that one of the men, Carlos Hernández, had just texted his girlfriend before the bridge collapsed.

“We just poured cement. We’re waiting for it to dry,” the president quoted the man saying during a news conference on Friday. “To all the families and loved ones who are grieving, I’ve come here to grieve with you,” the president said.

Baltimore mayor calls out House Freedom Caucus for being reluctant to fund Key Bridge repairs

Friday 5 April 2024 22:29 , Michelle Del Rey

Men on board the “Dali” ship remain stuck in Baltimore Harbour

Friday 5 April 2024 23:28 , Michelle Del Rey

The crew on board the “Dali” ship are receiving counseling from mental health specialists in the maritime industry, a representative for the Synergy Marine Group, the organisation managing the ship said.

“A dedicated team, including clinical psychologists, is currently offering round-the-clock support to the crew of the Dali, in the form of regular, individual and confidential counseling,” the representative said.

“We’ve also offered these resources to the families of the crew as part of a comprehensive response that is under constant review by the psychologists and the wider Synergy Team”.

The crew also has the ability to contact their families at any point, the spokesperson said.

Watch: President Biden speaks from Baltimore

Friday 5 April 2024 23:40 , Michelle Del Rey

Cruise passengers react to being rerouted after Baltimore’s bridge collapse

Saturday 6 April 2024 00:28 , Michelle Del Rey

Carnival Legend cruise passengers have shared their reactions to the trip being rerouted, after the collapse of the Francis Key Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.

Following a trip to the Bahamas, the cruise was set to end on 31 March, with the ship initially docking in Baltimore, Maryland. However, after the Key Bridge collapsed on 26 March, Carnival Legend’s ship was rerouted, before being docked in Norfolk, Virginia, on 31 March.

As noted on Carnival Legend’s official website, passengers were then provided with a complimentary bus service back to Baltimore. The cruise’s next seven day trip – set to begin on 31 March – will also leave from and return to Norfolk. The following trips will abide by this strategy, instead of being operated in Baltimore, and passengers have been made aware of the change.

“We appreciate the pledge made by President Biden today to dedicate all available resources to reopen Baltimore Harbor to marine traffic as soon as possible,” the president of Carnival Cruise Line, Christine Duffy, said in a statement. “As those plans are finalised, we will update our future cruise guests on when we will return home to Baltimore, but in the meantime, we appreciate the quick response and support from officials in Norfolk.”

Amber Raiken has the full story...

Cruise passengers react to ship being rerouted after Baltimore’s bridge collapse

Baltimore bridge collapse dive team recovers body of third construction worker

Saturday 6 April 2024 01:09 , Graeme Massie

Authorities believe six workers were killed when they fell into water as bridge collapsed.

Baltimore bridge collapse dive team recovers body of third construction worker

ICYMI: How did the collision happen?

Saturday 6 April 2024 01:28 , Michelle Del Rey

At around 1.30am ET local time, the Singapore-flagged vessel Dali struck a column on the Francis Scott Key Bridge, leading multiple parts of the 1.6-mile-long bridge to tumble into the water.

Just moments before the collision, the ship’s crew issued a mayday call. Maryland Gov Wes Moore added that the call “undoubtedly saved lives,” giving time for authorities to stop cars from continuing on the bridge.

The crew warned the Maryland Department of Transportation that a collision with the bridge “was possible,” the report said. “The vessel struck the bridge causing a complete collapse.”

It’s still unclear what caused the accident. But the ship was just 30 minutes into its 27-day journey to Sri Lanka.

Marcel Muise, the chief investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said data from the shipping container’s voyage data recorder, sometimes referred to as a “black box”, was still being analysed.

Mr Muise said that around 1.27am on Tuesday, one of the two pilots of the Dali had made radio contact regarding a “blackout” and ordered for the port anchor to be dropped as well as issuing additional steering commands.

Several seconds later the pilot issued another radio call over the radio reporting that the Dali had “lost all power and was approaching the bridge,” Mr Muise said.

Transportation authorities say the water under the bridge is around 50 feet deep.

There was no indication that the crash was intentional, officials said.

Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told The Associated Press that it appeared there were “some cargo or retainers hanging from the bridge”, creating unsafe and unstable conditions, and that emergency responders had to operate cautiously.

Jennifer Homendy, chair of the NTSB, said that over 750 tonnes of hazardous materials had been onboard the Dali container ship when the crash occurred.

An NTSB hazmat investigator was able to identify 56 containers of hazardous materials, a total of 764 tonnes of hazardous materials, Ms Homendy told a press conference on 27 March. The materials were “mostly corrosives, flammables, and some miscellaneous hazardous materials”, she added.

Some of the hazmat containers were breached, though state authorities have been made aware.

Non-profit org helping migrants sends open letter to Biden administration demanding temporary work visas

Saturday 6 April 2024 02:28 , Michelle Del Rey

CASA, a non-profit organisation that two of the victims belonged to, held a virtual press conference on Monday asking President Joe Biden’s administration to provide temporary work visas to migrants. The group also called for temporary protected status and humanitarian parole.

As part of the news conference, the advocates revealed a letter sent to the administration asking that construction workers receive the protective policies. Latino workers are eight percent of the construction workforce and suffer over 26 percent of the deaths, the letter stated.

“As construction companies and business leaders, we know that construction cannot function without immigrant workers. We also know that it is a physical, demanding, and sometimes dangerous work,” the letter reads.

“The deaths of the pothole crew stranded on the bridge illustrates that, despite many safeguards, essential construction workers are vulnerable to sudden accidents and deaths”. The letter was signed by the non-profit, leaders in the construction industry and other advocates.

Watch it: The efforts to reopen Baltimore Harbour

Saturday 6 April 2024 03:28 , Michelle Del Rey

Remembering the victims: Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval

Saturday 6 April 2024 04:28 , Michelle Del Rey

Another of the workers missing and presumed dead since the bridge collapse in Baltimore has been named as Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval, according to Martin Suazo, his brother.

Martin, who lives in Honduras, told CNN that his family over in Baltimore called him to tell him that his brother was missing after the container ship crashed into the bridge.

He is originally from Azacualpa in Honduras and had been living in the United States for more than 18 years. He was married and had an 18-year-old son and a five-year-old daughter.

His brother told the outlet that Sandoval was an entrepreneur who had started his own maintenance company, venturing to the US “in search of a better life,” Martin told the outlet.

In an interview with Honduran newspaper La Prensa, Martin said in Spanish, “What we’re living is inexplicable. We wish it wasn’t real. We’re dismayed, especially the agony of not knowing when they’re going to find the body.”

“My brother was a generous man,” the brother told NPR.

He gave a lot back to his community in Honduras, Martin said. While working in the US, Sandoval sent money back to Honduras — enough to open up a hotel which provided jobs for his town, including his family. On top of this, Martin told the outlet that his brother helped those with disabilities, paid for neighbours’ medicine and doctor’s visits, and he even sponsored a youth soccer league.

One of eight siblings, the construction worker was described by another one of his brothers, Carlos Suazo Sandoval, as a “joyful person who had a vision.”

“We still have faith until this moment, God grant the miracle, it would be beautiful,” Carlos told CNN en Español on Wednesday. “We still have hope, I know that time is our worst enemy.”

The Suazo family are now focusing on having Sandoval’s body found, and if they do, they plan to repatriate the body to Honduras, Carlos said.

The Honduran Embassy told Martin Suazo that it would work with him to bring his brother’s body back to the country for funeral arrangements.

Both Sandoval and Luna were members of Casa, the organisation said in a statement: “Our hearts break knowing that Miguel and Maynor were part of the six essential workers who were on the bridge when it came tumbling down...They had a dream of a better future for themselves and their families and made the brave decision to travel to this country for a brighter future.”

“In a time when there is so much hatred against the immigrant community, we look to the story of Maynor and Miguel who built bridges to connect communities, not building walls to divide them. Today and always we honor them and their sacrifices,” the group wrote.

Collapse could fuel reinsurance pricing

Saturday 6 April 2024 05:28 , Michelle Del Rey

According to the Wall Street Journal, the cost of rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge will largely fall on reinsurers.

If the losses from the incident end up at the higher end of estimates, which are currently $2bn to $4bn, then insurers may add reserves to social inflation which could cause them to seek higher prices, the outlet reported.

Last year, natural catastrophe losses were capped at $108bn, above the 10-year average of $89bn.

Crew on board Dali ship prepared for 35-day journey, Coast Guard official says

Saturday 6 April 2024 06:28 , Michelle Del Rey

Admiral Shannon Gilreath said that the 21-person crew on board the Dali prepared for a 35-day journey to Sri Lanka. Mr Gilreath said that the crew members have “all the supplies they need to be safe on board”. It’s previously been reported that the men do not have the proper visas to leave the ship, which compares in size to the Eiffel Tower.

He added that officials are keeping track of them and they are being supported

WATCH: White House vows to 'get to the bottom' of Baltimore Bridge collapse

Saturday 6 April 2024 07:28 , Michelle Del Rey

WATCH: Moment first vessel passes through temporary alternate channel in Baltimore

Saturday 6 April 2024 08:28 , Michelle Del Rey

Who is Marciel Muise? The man leading the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation

Saturday 6 April 2024 09:28 , Michelle Del Rey

Marcel Muise is a marine casualty investigator who served in the US Coast Guard and captained oil drilling ships and rigs before joining the safety board, according to The Baltimore Banner.

Mr Muise worked for the NTSB for six years. The collapse is the largest disaster he has been tasked with overseeing since joining the agency.

New video shows dive teams in water around Baltimore bridge wreckage

Saturday 6 April 2024 10:28 , Michelle Del Rey

New video footage has been released showing dive teams entering the water around the wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore – revealing the challenging conditions authorities are working in to remove the debris and get the port back up and running.

In photos: 3D images capture the wreckage in the Patapsco River

Saturday 6 April 2024 11:28 , Michelle Del Rey

How did the crash occur?

Saturday 6 April 2024 12:28 , Michelle Del Rey

The cause of the collision is still being investigated, but evidence suggests the vessel lost power just before it crashed into the bridge.

The NTSB recovered the voyage data recorder (VDR), or “black box,” which provided a minute-by-minute timeline of the lead-up to the crash.

The data was made public on 27 March, showing that the Dali departed from Baltimore’s Seagirt Marine Terminal at 12.39am on Tuesday 26 March.

By 1.24am, the ship’s bridge audio recorded numerous alarms. Around the same time, the VDR stopped recording the vessel’s system data, but it was able to continue taping audio from an alternative power source.

The VDR resumed recording the system data and captured steering commands and orders about its rudder. Seconds later, the ship’s pilot issued a radio call to tugboats close by asking for assistance for the stricken vessel. The pilot association dispatcher then called the MDTA duty officer about a blackout, NTSB said.

A minute later, the pilot ordered the Dali to drop the port anchor and issued another high-frequency radio call, reporting that the ship had lost all power and was approaching the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

A transit authority duty officer alerted two units — one on each side of the bridge — who were already on the scene and ordered them to stop traffic, shutting down all lanes.

Two minutes after the warning call was made, at 1.29am, the VDR recorded 33 seconds of sound “consistent with” the vessel colliding into the bridge, the NTSB wrote. The Dali was moving at just under 8 miles per hour.

The pilot then radioed the US Coast Guard to report the bridge had come down.

While deeper analysis of the black box data has yet to come out, some experts have also questioned whether the structural integrity of the bridge itself was strong enough.

Julian Carter, a structural and civil engineering expert, earlier told Sky News that the structures of the bridge were “very weak” at certain points.

Fire officials said earlier that they do not have any information as to whether there was a problem with the 300-metre-long ship, and have not spoken to the pilot of the vessel yet.

Chief Wallace added that he could not confirm if there had been a fuel leakage from the cargo ship.

“We hope as the sun comes up, we will get a much better picture if we do have a fuel spill and what the impact has been so far,” he said.

Gov Moore said on 27 March that it’s still unclear what caused the ship’s power to go out. “There needs to be accountability to make sure these things do not happen again and that we have a system in place to make sure they don’t,” he said at a press conference.

Engineers examining Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Maryland

Saturday 6 April 2024 13:28 , Michelle Del Rey

Officials are reexamining other bridges in Maryland after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The Cheasapeake Bridge, a 4-mile long structure which sits on top of the body of water bearing its name, is considered “fracture critical”, as was the Key Bridge before it fell.

The classification means that the entire structure could fail if one of its support beams are struck, according to The Baltimore Banner. About 17,000 other bridges across the country are also considered “fracture critical”.

Dali crew worried ‘what world thinks’ of them after tragic collision with bridge

Saturday 6 April 2024 14:28 , Michelle Del Rey

The crew members stranded for a week on board a cargo vessel that collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore were worried what the world thought of them, an official said.

The Singapore-flagged ship Dali, en route to the south Asian country, has been stuck with 4,000 containers and its mostly Indian crew since last Tuesday after the vessel lost power and collided with a support column of the bridge, leading to its collapse.

The 20 Indian and one Sri Lankan sailors were in good health, including a member who suffered minor injuries, according to officials.

The “rattled” sailors had adequate food on board but were keeping quiet about their situation amid an ongoing investigation, said Joshua Messick, the executive director of the non-profit Baltimore International Seafarers’ Center.

“They’re not saying much at all to anyone who has been in touch with them,” Mr Messick told the BBC.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar has the full story...

Baltimore ship crew worried ‘what world thinks’ days after Key Bridge collapse

US Army releases photos of responding authorities cutting parts of the bridge

Saturday 6 April 2024 15:28 , Michelle Del Rey

Third recovered bridge victim Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval was ‘generous’ and ‘joyful’ man brothers say

Saturday 6 April 2024 17:18 , Graig Graziosi

Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval’s body wss recovered on Friday. He is the third of the Baltimore bridge workers to be found after a cargo ship accient toppled the Francis Scott Key Bridge where he and five others were filling potholes.

A native of Honduras, he leaves behind two children — an 18-year-old son and a five-year-old daughter — as well as his wife and siblings, who live in Maryland and Honduras.

He left Honduras at age 18 for the US and never returned due to his immigration status, according to USA Today. Maynor and his wife raised their children in Maryland, and he contributed to his community by working with the nonprofit CASA. In addition to his local volunteer work, Maynor also donated money to youth soccer leagues in his hometown of Azacualpa.

His brother, Martin Suazo, described Maynor as a “generous man” and an entrepreneur who traveled to the US in “search of a better life,” NPR reports.

Carlos Suazo Sandoval, another brother, described Maynor as a “joyful person who had a vision,” according to CNN en Español.

Maynor’s family is planning to repatriate his body to Honduras for burial.

Baltimore bridge collapse dive team recovers body of third construction worker

Saturday 6 April 2024 19:05 , Graig Graziosi

A dive team has recovered a third body from the water following the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore.

The worker was identified as 38-year-old Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval, according to a statement on Friday from Unified Command, who is handling the recovery operation.

The bridge collapsed at 1.30am on 26 March after a cargo ship collided with a supporting pier. Six men, all of whom were Latino immigrant workers, were on the bridge at the time and are presumed dead, authorities have said.

Suazo-Sandoval, a native of Honduras, was married with a son, 18, and five-year-old daughter. He also leaves behind his siblings, who live in both Honduras and Maryland.

READ MORE:

Baltimore bridge collapse dive team recovers body of third construction worker

Cruise passengers react to being rerouted after Baltimore’s bridge collapse

Saturday 6 April 2024 22:00 , Graig Graziosi

Carnival Legend cruise passengers have shared their reactions to the trip being rerouted, after the collapse of the Francis Key Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.

Following a trip to the Bahamas, the cruise was set to end on 31 March, with the ship initially docking in Baltimore, Maryland. However, after the Key Bridge collapsed on 26 March, Carnival Legend’s ship was rerouted, before being docked in Norfolk, Virginia, on 31 March.

As noted on Carnival Legend’s official website, passengers were then provided with a complimentary bus service back to Baltimore. The cruise’s next seven day trip – set to begin on 31 March – will also leave from and return to Norfolk. The following trips will abide by this strategy, instead of being operated in Baltimore, and passengers have been made aware of the change.

“We appreciate the pledge made by President Biden today to dedicate all available resources to reopen Baltimore Harbor to marine traffic as soon as possible,” the president of Carnival Cruise Line, Christine Duffy, said in a statement. “As those plans are finalised, we will update our future cruise guests on when we will return home to Baltimore, but in the meantime, we appreciate the quick response and support from officials in Norfolk.”

Amber Raiken has the full story...

Cruise passengers react to ship being rerouted after Baltimore’s bridge collapse

ICYMI: How did the collision happen?

Saturday 6 April 2024 23:00 , Graig Graziosi

At around 1.30am ET local time, the Singapore-flagged vessel Dali struck a column on the Francis Scott Key Bridge, leading multiple parts of the 1.6-mile-long bridge to tumble into the water.

Just moments before the collision, the ship’s crew issued a mayday call. Maryland Gov Wes Moore added that the call “undoubtedly saved lives,” giving time for authorities to stop cars from continuing on the bridge.

The crew warned the Maryland Department of Transportation that a collision with the bridge “was possible,” the report said. “The vessel struck the bridge causing a complete collapse.”

It’s still unclear what caused the accident. But the ship was just 30 minutes into its 27-day journey to Sri Lanka.

Marcel Muise, the chief investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said data from the shipping container’s voyage data recorder, sometimes referred to as a “black box”, was still being analysed.

Mr Muise said that around 1.27am on Tuesday, one of the two pilots of the Dali had made radio contact regarding a “blackout” and ordered for the port anchor to be dropped as well as issuing additional steering commands.

Several seconds later the pilot issued another radio call over the radio reporting that the Dali had “lost all power and was approaching the bridge,” Mr Muise said.

Transportation authorities say the water under the bridge is around 50 feet deep.

There was no indication that the crash was intentional, officials said.

Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told The Associated Press that it appeared there were “some cargo or retainers hanging from the bridge”, creating unsafe and unstable conditions, and that emergency responders had to operate cautiously.

Jennifer Homendy, chair of the NTSB, said that over 750 tonnes of hazardous materials had been onboard the Dali container ship when the crash occurred.

An NTSB hazmat investigator was able to identify 56 containers of hazardous materials, a total of 764 tonnes of hazardous materials, Ms Homendy told a press conference on 27 March. The materials were “mostly corrosives, flammables, and some miscellaneous hazardous materials”, she added.

Some of the hazmat containers were breached, though state authorities have been made aware.

Non-profit org helping migrants sends open letter to Biden administration demanding temporary work visas

Sunday 7 April 2024 00:00 , Graig Graziosi

CASA, a non-profit organisation that two of the victims belonged to, held a virtual press conference on Monday asking President Joe Biden’s administration to provide temporary work visas to migrants. The group also called for temporary protected status and humanitarian parole.

As part of the news conference, the advocates revealed a letter sent to the administration asking that construction workers receive the protective policies. Latino workers are eight percent of the construction workforce and suffer over 26 percent of the deaths, the letter stated.

“As construction companies and business leaders, we know that construction cannot function without immigrant workers. We also know that it is a physical, demanding, and sometimes dangerous work,” the letter reads.

“The deaths of the pothole crew stranded on the bridge illustrates that, despite many safeguards, essential construction workers are vulnerable to sudden accidents and deaths”. The letter was signed by the non-profit, leaders in the construction industry and other advocates.

Watch it: The efforts to reopen Baltimore Harbour

Sunday 7 April 2024 01:00 , Graig Graziosi

Remembering the victims: Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval

Sunday 7 April 2024 02:00 , Graig Graziosi

Another of the workers missing and presumed dead since the bridge collapse in Baltimore has been named as Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval, according to Martin Suazo, his brother.

Martin, who lives in Honduras, told CNN that his family over in Baltimore called him to tell him that his brother was missing after the container ship crashed into the bridge.

He is originally from Azacualpa in Honduras and had been living in the United States for more than 18 years. He was married and had an 18-year-old son and a five-year-old daughter.

His brother told the outlet that Sandoval was an entrepreneur who had started his own maintenance company, venturing to the US “in search of a better life,” Martin told the outlet.

In an interview with Honduran newspaper La Prensa, Martin said in Spanish, “What we’re living is inexplicable. We wish it wasn’t real. We’re dismayed, especially the agony of not knowing when they’re going to find the body.”

“My brother was a generous man,” the brother told NPR.

He gave a lot back to his community in Honduras, Martin said. While working in the US, Sandoval sent money back to Honduras — enough to open up a hotel which provided jobs for his town, including his family. On top of this, Martin told the outlet that his brother helped those with disabilities, paid for neighbours’ medicine and doctor’s visits, and he even sponsored a youth soccer league.

One of eight siblings, the construction worker was described by another one of his brothers, Carlos Suazo Sandoval, as a “joyful person who had a vision.”

“We still have faith until this moment, God grant the miracle, it would be beautiful,” Carlos told CNN en Español on Wednesday. “We still have hope, I know that time is our worst enemy.”

The Suazo family are now focusing on having Sandoval’s body found, and if they do, they plan to repatriate the body to Honduras, Carlos said.

The Honduran Embassy told Martin Suazo that it would work with him to bring his brother’s body back to the country for funeral arrangements.

Both Sandoval and Luna were members of Casa, the organisation said in a statement: “Our hearts break knowing that Miguel and Maynor were part of the six essential workers who were on the bridge when it came tumbling down...They had a dream of a better future for themselves and their families and made the brave decision to travel to this country for a brighter future.”

“In a time when there is so much hatred against the immigrant community, we look to the story of Maynor and Miguel who built bridges to connect communities, not building walls to divide them. Today and always we honor them and their sacrifices,” the group wrote.

Collapse could fuel reinsurance pricing

Sunday 7 April 2024 03:00 , Graig Graziosi

According to the Wall Street Journal, the cost of rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge will largely fall on reinsurers.

If the losses from the incident end up at the higher end of estimates, which are currently $2bn to $4bn, then insurers may add reserves to social inflation which could cause them to seek higher prices, the outlet reported.

Last year, natural catastrophe losses were capped at $108bn, above the 10-year average of $89bn.

WATCH: White House vows to 'get to the bottom' of Baltimore Bridge collapse

Sunday 7 April 2024 04:00 , Graig Graziosi

Who is Marciel Muise? The man leading the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation

Sunday 7 April 2024 04:59 , Graig Graziosi

Marcel Muise is a marine casualty investigator who served in the US Coast Guard and captained oil drilling ships and rigs before joining the safety board, according to The Baltimore Banner.

Mr Muise worked for the NTSB for six years. The collapse is the largest disaster he has been tasked with overseeing since joining the agency.

WATCH: Moment first vessel passes through temporary alternate channel in Baltimore

Sunday 7 April 2024 06:00 , Graig Graziosi

Video shows dive teams in water around Baltimore bridge wreckage

Sunday 7 April 2024 08:00 , Graig Graziosi

Video footage has been released showing dive teams entering the water around the wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore – revealing the challenging conditions authorities are working in to remove the debris and get the port back up and running.

US Army releases photos of responding authorities cutting parts of the bridge

Sunday 7 April 2024 10:00 , Graig Graziosi

Engineers examining Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Maryland

Sunday 7 April 2024 12:00 , Graig Graziosi

Officials are reexamining other bridges in Maryland after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The Cheasapeake Bridge, a 4-mile long structure which sits on top of the body of water bearing its name, is considered “fracture critical”, as was the Key Bridge before it fell.

The classification means that the entire structure could fail if one of its support beams are struck, according to The Baltimore Banner. About 17,000 other bridges across the country are also considered “fracture critical”.

Dali crew worried ‘what world thinks’ of them after tragic collision with bridge

Sunday 7 April 2024 13:00 , Graig Graziosi

The crew members stranded for a week on board a cargo vessel that collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore were worried what the world thought of them, an official said.

The Singapore-flagged ship Dali, en route to the south Asian country, has been stuck with 4,000 containers and its mostly Indian crew since last Tuesday after the vessel lost power and collided with a support column of the bridge, leading to its collapse.

The 20 Indian and one Sri Lankan sailors were in good health, including a member who suffered minor injuries, according to officials.

The “rattled” sailors had adequate food on board but were keeping quiet about their situation amid an ongoing investigation, said Joshua Messick, the executive director of the non-profit Baltimore International Seafarers’ Center.

“They’re not saying much at all to anyone who has been in touch with them,” Mr Messick told the BBC.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar has the full story...

Baltimore ship crew worried ‘what world thinks’ days after Key Bridge collapse

Baltimore bridge collapse dive team recovers body of third construction worker

Sunday 7 April 2024 14:00 , Graig Graziosi

A dive team has recovered a third body from the water following the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore.

The worker was identified as 38-year-old Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval, according to a statement on Friday from Unified Command, who is handling the recovery operation.

The bridge collapsed at 1.30am on 26 March after a cargo ship collided with a supporting pier. Six men, all of whom were Latino immigrant workers, were on the bridge at the time and are presumed dead, authorities have said.

Suazo-Sandoval, a native of Honduras, was married with a son, 18, and five-year-old daughter. He also leaves behind his siblings, who live in both Honduras and Maryland.

READ MORE:

Baltimore bridge collapse dive team recovers body of third construction worker

How did the crash occur?

Sunday 7 April 2024 14:30 , Graig Graziosi

The cause of the collision is still being investigated, but evidence suggests the vessel lost power just before it crashed into the bridge.

The NTSB recovered the voyage data recorder (VDR), or “black box,” which provided a minute-by-minute timeline of the lead-up to the crash.

The data was made public on 27 March, showing that the Dali departed from Baltimore’s Seagirt Marine Terminal at 12.39am on Tuesday 26 March.

By 1.24am, the ship’s bridge audio recorded numerous alarms. Around the same time, the VDR stopped recording the vessel’s system data, but it was able to continue taping audio from an alternative power source.

The VDR resumed recording the system data and captured steering commands and orders about its rudder. Seconds later, the ship’s pilot issued a radio call to tugboats close by asking for assistance for the stricken vessel. The pilot association dispatcher then called the MDTA duty officer about a blackout, NTSB said.

A minute later, the pilot ordered the Dali to drop the port anchor and issued another high-frequency radio call, reporting that the ship had lost all power and was approaching the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

A transit authority duty officer alerted two units — one on each side of the bridge — who were already on the scene and ordered them to stop traffic, shutting down all lanes.

Two minutes after the warning call was made, at 1.29am, the VDR recorded 33 seconds of sound “consistent with” the vessel colliding into the bridge, the NTSB wrote. The Dali was moving at just under 8 miles per hour.

The pilot then radioed the US Coast Guard to report the bridge had come down.

While deeper analysis of the black box data has yet to come out, some experts have also questioned whether the structural integrity of the bridge itself was strong enough.

Julian Carter, a structural and civil engineering expert, earlier told Sky News that the structures of the bridge were “very weak” at certain points.

Fire officials said earlier that they do not have any information as to whether there was a problem with the 300-metre-long ship, and have not spoken to the pilot of the vessel yet.

Chief Wallace added that he could not confirm if there had been a fuel leakage from the cargo ship.

“We hope as the sun comes up, we will get a much better picture if we do have a fuel spill and what the impact has been so far,” he said.

Gov Moore said on 27 March that it’s still unclear what caused the ship’s power to go out. “There needs to be accountability to make sure these things do not happen again and that we have a system in place to make sure they don’t,” he said at a press conference.

ICYMI: Biden vows ‘we will not rest’ until Baltimore’s Key Bridge is rebuilt as he visits scene of disaster

Sunday 7 April 2024 15:00 , Graig Graziosi

As workers continue efforts to cut apart and remove the twisted wreckage of what was once the Francis Scott Key Bridge, President Joe Biden vowed that he and his administration “will not rest” until a replacement span is rebuild and carrying vehicles across the Patapsco River once more.

Standing outside the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Department headquarters not far from where the bridge once stood, Mr Biden repeated the promise he made in remarks delivered from the White House, mere hours after the container ship Dali struck one of the half-century-old span’s supports, bringing it down and blocking all maritime traffic in and out of Baltimore’s harbour.

As Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and a bevy of other Old Line State dignaries looked on, Mr Biden said: “We’re going to move heaven and earth to rebuild this bridge”.

Read more from Andrew Feinburg:

Biden vows ‘we will not rest’ until Baltimore’s Key Bridge is rebuilt