Rescue teams begin removing twisted steel from a collapsed bridge in Baltimore

Seven floating cranes - including a giant one capable of lifting 1,000 tons, 10 tugboats, nine barges, eight rescue boats and five Coast Guard vessels - are in the waters southeast of Baltimore.

The Dali ship is still stuck under a section of the collapsed bridge. (Photo: TASOS)

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said every movement affects what happens next, and it's unknown how long it will take to remove all the debris and reopen the shipping lane and the stricken Port of Baltimore. lockdown.

Undeterred by the chilly morning weather, many Baltimore residents came to take photos, or just quietly look at the broken bridge sections, including the steel trusses, weighing up to 4,000 tons.

The shock of waking up this morning to the news and the sight of the iconic Baltimore skyline bridge falling into the water gave way to sadness for Baltimore residents.

One of the engineering team's first goals was to open a small secondary channel so that tugboats and small barges could move back and forth. Teams also want to stabilize the site so divers can continue searching for four missing workers presumed dead.

Two workers were rescued from the water hours after the bridge collapse early on the morning of March 26, and the bodies of two other workers were recovered along with a pickup truck that crashed and sank in the river the next day.

The crew of the cargo ship Dali, managed by Synergy Marine Group, remains on board. They are keeping the ship afloat because it will be necessary to remove it from the canal after removing more bridge debris that is weighing on the ship. This ship is owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and chartered by Danish shipping giant Maersk.

The collision appeared to be an accident that occurred after the ship lost power. Federal and state investigators are still determining the cause.

Easing concerns about possible contamination from the accident, Adam Ortiz, Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency, said there was no indication that active ingredients were in the water. emitted from ships, or materials hazardous to human health.

Officials are also trying to figure out how to address the economic impact of the Baltimore port closure and major highway shutdowns. The bridge was completed in 1977, connecting Interstate 695 around Southeast Baltimore.

Maryland transportation officials are planning to rebuild the bridge, promising to consider innovative designs or new construction materials in hopes of shortening the timeline for a project that could take years. .

Kareem Winters

Update 01 April 2024