Six Missing Individuals Presumed Dead After Bridge Collapse in Baltimore
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The Coast Guard have stopped search and rescue missions for six people who were on the Francis Scott Key Bridge at its fall morning. It encountering a major collision with a cargo boat. Focus is now on finding the missing persons, who are thought to have died in the event.
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Search and Recovery Operations Halted Amidst Hazardous Conditions
In the dim hours of the night, the search and recovery operations came to an abrupt stop, being deemed unsafe. This decision was hastily made due to the perilous conditions that surrounded the area, including unpredictable sections of the steel bridge and abandoned shipping containers swaying precariously from the cargo ship.
Baltimore City Fire Chief James Wallace, in his statement to CNN, shed light on the rationale behind this halt. However, without missing a beat, divers are anticipated to pick up their mission once more on Wednesday in pursuit of the six individuals unaccounted for. Governor Wes Moore, in a confident yet cautious tone, iterated on Tuesday, “We’re fully committed to utilizing every available resource to provide closure to the families.”
The US Coast Guard is currently under the scrutinizing eye, evaluating the potential risks that hazardous materials from the severely damaged shipping containers might pose on the vessel that collided, as per the scoop from a US government document disclosed by CNN and an officially informed individual. Simultaneously, they are poring over the ship’s manifest to ferret out any materials that may pose health hazards.
National Transportation Safety Board at the Forefront
Taking the reins into their hands, the National Transportation Safety Board is spearheading the investigation into this dreadful mishap. Chair Jennifer Homendy, in an interview with CNN, divulged that the board is gearing up to commence amassing evidence by setting foot on the vessel by Wednesday. Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley, however, on a different note, assured the public on Tuesday, insisting that there is no inkling of deliberate harm being inflicted.
Mingling among those missing persons is Miguel Luna, a migrant from El Salvador, alongside individuals from Guatemala and Mexico. While the official confirmation of their identities is still pending from the local authorities, whispers from nonprofit organizations have trickled some information.
Minutes leading up to the catastrophe, the ship grappled with a sudden and complete blackout, robbing it of engine power and electrical supply, disclosed Clay Diamond, executive director of the American Pilots Association. Despite feverish attempts to rekindle the power source, the engines lay inert on the cold metal bosom of the vessel. The reconstruction process for the bridge, as voiced by US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, will be a drawn-out and high-priced affair. Stirring the political pot, President Joe Biden has implored Congress to throw their weight behind the relief efforts, promising federal funds to foot the complete bill of repairs.
The Road to Recovery
With the curtains drawing close on the search operations, a top-notch priority on the list is clearing the channel to allow the Port of Baltimore to recommence its bustling activities. However, the concrete timeframe for this feat stands on shaky grounds, with Transportation Secretary Buttigieg admitting to the massive reverberations on supply chains.
The harrowing collapse of the Key Bridge unfolded moments before the clock struck 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, unleashing a slew of tragic outcomes. Amidst the chaos, a handful of workers clung onto life, whereas the remaining are entrenched in the cold embrace of the waters, presumed to have met an untimely fate. Miguel Luna’s prominent absence in his abode, following his departure for work on Monday evening, paints a grim picture. According to CASA, a nonprofit organization aiding immigrant families, Luna is a figure shrouded in mystery, purportedly a husband, father of three, and a seasoned resident of Maryland.
Latest Updates on the Baltimore Bridge Collapse:
Thankfully, all the crew members (22 people) on the ship (DALI) are okay.
The ship is stuck in the river with a big chunk of the bridge stuck to its front.
Officials are worried about the 1.8 million gallons of fuel on the ship spilling into the water, but experts say it’s unlikely.
Coast Guard is checking 13 damaged containers from the ship. Some of these containers might have dangerous stuff inside, like materials the CDC regulates or hazardous materials.
Maryland’s governor, Wes Moore, said the bridge collapse is a terrible tragedy. He mentioned that the people who died weren’t just workers, but people with families and loved ones.
Experts Dig for Answers in Bridge Collapse
The folks figuring out what caused the bridge collapse (called the National Transportation Safety Board) are gonna be on the job, but they gotta wait a bit. They want to give rescue crews all the time they need to find anyone who might still be alive.
Once they can get started, these investigators will be looking for clues everywhere: on the ship, the bits of bridge left over, and anything that fell into the river. They also want to know who was driving the ship and who was in charge when the crash happened.
While it seems like this might have been an accident, bigwigs in government (like the Secretary of Transportation) are trying to calm everyone down about other bridges. They’re saying this collapse was a one-of-a-kind situation. Apparently, no bridge is built to take a hit from a giant ship!
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