Six workers presumed dead after bridge collapsed in Baltimore - Reuters
The bridge in Baltimore collapsed after being hit by a container ship (photo: Getty Images)
After a large bridge collapsed in the American port of Baltimore on the morning of March 26, six workers went missing. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said there was no hope of finding them alive due to the cold water and the long period that has passed, reports Reuters.
With dive teams facing increasingly treacherous conditions in the darkened, wreckage-strewn waters, active search-and-rescue operations were suspended about 18 hours after the accident, US Coast Guard and Maryland State Police officials said.
Colonel Roland Butler said authorities hoped to return divers to the water after sunrise on Wednesday to recover the workers' remains.
Bridge collapse in the US
On Tuesday, March 26, a large bridge collapsed in the American port of Baltimore after being struck by a container ship. As a result, cars and about 20 people fell into the river. The Governor of Maryland has declared a state of emergency. Rescuers are searching for those who survived in the Patapsco River after huge spans of the 2.57-kilometer-long Francis Scott Key Bridge fell into the water.
Port of Baltimore
Baltimore is the busiest port in the US for shipping cars. In 2023, private and public terminals at the Port of Baltimore handled 847,158 cars and light trucks, more than any other US port. According to the Maryland government's website, the port also handles agricultural and construction equipment, sugar, gypsum, and coal.
A 948-foot (288.95 m) vessel experienced an immediate loss of propulsion and dropped anchor as part of emergency procedures before the collision, reported Synergy Marine Pte Ltd.
