The two victims found are men aged 35 and 26 and are from Mexico and Guatemala. They both lived in Maryland, the state that includes Baltimore.
Break on bridge
A container ship collided with a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the American city of Baltimore this week. By issuing a distress signal, the US Department of Transportation was able to prevent motorists from being on the bridge, but a group of eight workers were still on the bridge for repairs.
According to foreign media, the men were taking a break when things went wrong around 1:30 am. Eight people ended up in the water. Two were soon found alive, including one seriously injured.
The rescue operation for the six remaining missing people turned into a recovery operation last night, the police and coast guard no longer expected to find people alive. The water is too cold and it had already gone on too long, they said.
Police have said that sonar images show other vehicles underwater, but they are buried under the sunken bridge parts. Efforts to recover the bodies have been suspended for the time being because the conditions pose too many risks for rescuers.
The four missing road workers are from Central American countries. The governor of Maryland addressed the victims’ relatives directly during a press conference. “Estamos contigo, ahora y siempre,” he said. “We are here for you, now and always.”
‘Major and long-lasting consequences’
The ship that hit the bridge suffered a power outage. The authorities are still investigating the cause. US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has warned that the incident could have “major and long-lasting consequences” for US logistics.
Baltimore is one of the busiest ports in the country and is currently inaccessible due to the bridge collapse. President Joe Biden has vowed to “move heaven and earth” to quickly clear the waterway and reopen the bridge.
