Baltimore Key Bridge collapse live: Temporary channels to open amid warning of ‘national economic catastrophe’

Baltimore officials have opened a temporary shipping route around the wreckage of the Francis Key Scott Key Bridge in a bid to get trade and movement of goods in and out of the port up and running as soon as possible.

Captain David O’Connell described this as “an important first step along the road to reopening the port of Baltimore”. A second temporary route for deeper vessels will open in the oncoming days, officials said.

The first section of the collapsed bridge was removed from the Patapsco River over the weekend, marking an important step towards removing the wreckage and getting the crucial port back up and running.

After removing a 200-tonne segment, workers are now focusing on lifting a 350-tonne section of the bridge while leaving the crumpled part resting on the bow of the Dali container ship. Meanwhile, parts of the wreckage have reportedly been discovered on nearby beaches.

The progress comes after Maryland Governor Wes Moore warned the disaster is a “national economic catastrophe” that may have a wide-ranging impact on the US economy.

“People have to remember this is not a Baltimore catastrophe, not a Maryland catastrophe,” he told CNN on Sunday.

Key points

• Baltimore plans to open temporary shipping route around wreckage

• Maryland governor warns the disaster poses a ‘national economic catastrophe’

• A 200-tonne bridge segment removed from Patapsco River

• Baltimore mayor responds to racist remarks

• Two bodies found in search for missing workers after Baltimore Key Bridge collapse

• Investigators reveal precise timeline of bridge disaster

WATCH: What is the economic impact of the Key Bridge collapse?

23:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Watch: Moment bridge in Baltimore collapses after ship collision

22:17 , Michelle Del Rey

Baker commuting over Baltimore bridge did not hear crash because of loud radio

21:45 , Michelle Del Rey

A Baltimore baker who drove over the Francis Scott Key Bridge seconds before its collapse, says he had been blissfully unaware of the catastrophe until receiving a call from a panicked co-worker.

Story continues

Larry Desantis told the Baltimore Banner that despite being in the immediate vicinity he had not heard the container ship collide with the bridge because he had been playing his car radio loudly.

Mr Desantis, head baker at Herman’s Bakery in Dundalk, had been travelling on his regular commute in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

According to the Banner, he had made it off the bridge around 1:27am. About a minute later, at around 1.29am the bridge collapsed.

Read the full story:

Baker commuting over Baltimore bridge did not hear crash because of loud radio

Governor Wes Moore says second temporary channel to open in oncoming days

21:30 , Michelle Del Rey

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Governor Wes Moore said that a second southwest channel will be constructed to help deeper vessels coming into the area. The channel will measure 15 feet deep and will open this week.

“The work is moving”, Mr Moore said. “This mission continues”. Separately, he said, authorities would be moving this afternoon to help remove a 350 tonne piece of the bridge pending weather conditions, specifically lightening.

“The scale of this project is enormous”, he said.

Photos of debris washing up on Maryland beaches

21:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Brian Chisholm, a Republican state delegate said that constituents in Anne Arundel County are reporting sightings of wreckage washing up on local beaches.

Fund for families has now reached over $300,000, Baltimore mayor says

20:30 , Michelle Del Rey

A fund for the families has now reached over $300,000, Baltimore Mayor Brandon M Scott said in an interview with CBS News.

“The human impact of this unthinkable tragedy remains our first priority — supporting the families of those we lost and addressing the effects this will have on Baltimore,” Mr Scott said on X. “And we will remain focused on the mission at hand”.

Anyone wanting to donate can do so here.

Governor Wes Moore announces four directives during news conference

20:23 , Michelle Del Rey

The governor said he had the following directives: Recover the four remaining victims, clear the channel and reopen to traffic, take care of Port of Baltimore workers going without work and rebuild the Key Bridge.

Owner of “Dali” attempts to restrict liability using Titanic-era law

20:00 , Michelle Del Rey

The owner of the ship, Grace Ocean Private Ltd, and the manager of the ship, Synergy Marine Group, filed a petition for exoneration from or limitation of liability in US District Court in Baltimore on Monday, according to the Baltimore Banner.

The Limitation of Liability Act of 1851,  which was used to help protect the makers of the “Titanic”, allows ship owners to attempt to limit their liability to the value of the ship and its cargo at the end of the trip.

Maryland delegate says pieces of bridge are being found on nearby beaches

19:30 , Michelle Del Rey

Brian Chisholm, a Republican member of the Maryland State Delegation representing Anne Arundel County, said his constituents have been finding pieces of the bridge washed up on nearby shores in the Riviera Beach communities, close to the site of the collapse. The Stoney Creek side of the beach has been particularly hard, he said.

Officials have now established a debris reporting hotline at (410) 205-6625, he added.

Business recovery centres now open to help small businesses impacted by Port of Baltimore closure

19:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Two of the centres opened in Baltimore County on Monday, Baltimore Mayor Brandon M Scott announced on X. The aim of the centres is to help process emergency relief to business owners.

Officials are maintaining a no drone zone in the area surrounding the bridge

18:45 , Michelle Del Rey

“We take any incursion into the restricted airspace around the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse very seriously,” Maryland Governor Wes Moore said in a news release. “Please help ensure the safety of all first responders and crews in the area by not interfering with their work.”

Federal and local law enforcement officials said they intend to enforce a no drone zone surrounding the bridge, according to a news release. Anyone who violates the restrictions could face federal charges.

“It is harmful to the recovery operations, and it is illegal”,  William J. DelBagno, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Baltimore field office, said.

The zone extends for three nautical miles in radius from the centre of the bridge and from the surface, including 1500 feet above ground level.

Non-profit organisation is calling for better conditions for migrant workers after collapse

18:01 , Michelle Del Rey

CASA, a non-profit organisation supporting migrant workers, is calling for better conditions for migrants in the wake of the collapse.

Temporary channel has been established, authorities say

16:43 , Michelle Del Rey

A temporary channel has been established to help move Port of Baltimore traffic. The channel is located on the northeast side of the main channel in the vicinity of the bridge for commercially essential vessels.

“This marks an important first step along the road to reopening the port of Baltimore,” Captain David O’Connell, federal on-scene coordinator, said in a news release on Monday morning. “By opening this alternate route, we will support the flow of marine traffic into Baltimore.”

The action is part of a phased approach to opening the port, officials said. The temporary channel has government-lighted navigation aids and has a controlling depth of 11 feet, providing a 264-foot clearance and a vertical clearance of 95 feet, the statement said.

Royal Caribbean says it’s rerouting ships after bridge collapse

16:26 , Michelle Del Rey

In a statement, a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean said the company is rerouting some of its cruises. Passengers will be getting compensation and temporary shuttle transportation, the company added. The cruise ships will now be docking in Norfolk, Virginia, a port that other companies are turning to in the midst of the tragedy.

Upcoming cruises taking place on 4 April and 12 April will sail from Norfolk. Guests booked on those trips will also receive compensation in order to make any necessary adjustments to their travel plans. Upon returning from the 12 April cruise, the line called “Vision of the Seas” will head off to The Bahamas for scheduled maintenance.

“Our guests and travel partners are being directly notified of these updates”, the companies said.

Maryland is 39th in the country for structurally deficient bridges

16:06 , Michelle Del Rey

According to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, the state is 39th in the country for structurally deficient bridges. The state has identified needed repairs on 1,595 bridges, according to the state’s database. That number has gone down some when compared to the 1,646 that needed work in 2019.

West Virginia is first in the country for structurally deficient bridges, while Arizona was last.

Maryland lawmakers introduce legislation to help port workers

15:46 , Michelle Del Rey

At least two bills have been submitted by Maryland state lawmakers to help those impacted by the Baltimore Key Bridge collapse. The Port Act, or SB 1188, was submitted by Senate President Bill Ferguson on Friday. The goal of the legislation is to assist those impacted by the closure. It’s now in committee and is expected to be heard during a meeting this week.

SB 1187 was also introduced Friday and gives the governor emergency legislation to expedite the rebuilding of the bridge. It also gives the governor additional state-of-emergency powers to access additional tools to tackle the crisis.

Trump criticised for staying silent on Baltimore bridge collapse

14:40 , Rachel Sharp

Despite continuing to post attacks against Joe Biden on social media over the weekend, Donald Trump has remained largely silent on the Baltimore bridge collapse.

Since Tuesday night when a cargo ship slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, killing six people, all immigrants, the former president has only posted one clip of Sean Hannity criticising President Joe Biden for making only a brief remark and “making it all about himself by mentioning his personal connection”.

Mr Trump, who is usually known for his consistent and repeated posts on social media on any topic in the national news, is being criticised for remaining largely silent.

Republican strategist Scott Reed said this silence from Mr Trump is “a little weird,” journalist Mike Sington shared on Twitter.

“It was a national tragedy, it’s going to cost $2 billion, it’s going to screw up a lot of people’s lives and impact goods travelling around the world,” Mr Reed said, according to Mr Sington’s post on X.

“At a minimum, express sympathy toward the poor six men that died that were doing their jobs on the midnight shift, keeping commerce flowing.

WATCH: NTSB releases new video on board Dali ship after Baltimore bridge collapse

13:20 , Rachel Sharp

Recap: Baltimore Key Bridge collapse. Everything we know

13:00 , Mike Bedigan

The cause of the 26 March collision, which resulted in the collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore, is still unknown. As the investigation is still underway, the mission has shifted from one of recovery to one of clearing the waters.

Here’s a recap of everything we know:

What we know about Baltimore Key Bridge collapse as six people still missing

Pete Buttigieg: No current timeline for reopening channel or rebuilding bridge

12:40 , Rachel Sharp

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg revealed on Sunday that there is no current timeline for reopening the channel or to rebuilding the destroyed Francis Scott Key Bridge following last week’s disaster.

Speaking on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday, he said: “I can tell you the original bridge took about five years to build, but that doesn’t necessarily inform us about the timeline on the reconstruction.

“We don’t fully know everything we need to know about the condition of the portions of the bridge that did not collapse.”

Officials are however planning to open a temporary shipping route around the wreckage in a bid to get trade and movement of goods in and out of the port up and running as soon as possible.

Baltimore officials forced to deny right-wing theories tying disaster to DEI

12:26 , Rachel Sharp

Baltimore officials have been forced to deny right-wing theories tying the bridge disaster to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes.

Several Republican figures have baselessly suggested that the crash that left six construction workers dead was caused by DEI.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore blasted the claims in a CNN “State of the Union” interview on Sunday.

“My response is I have no time for foolishness,” he said.

“I’m locked in on making sure that we can bring closure and comfort to these families and making sure that we’re going to keep our first responders safe or doing heroic work.

“On making sure that we’re going to open up this channel and be able to get boats and ships and get our economic engine going again, making sure that we’re taking care of our people to include our first responders and families and small businesses who have been impacted by this. And I’m making sure that we’re going to get the Key Bridge rebuilt. I have no time for foolishness, and so I’m not going to delve into it.”

Baltimore plans to open temporary shipping route around wreckage

11:26 , Rachel Sharp

Baltimore officials are planning to open a temporary shipping route around the wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in a bid to get trade and movement of goods in and out of the port up and running as soon as possible.

In a press release on Sunday, Unified Command said the Captain of the Port is “preparing to establish a temporary alternate channel on the northeast side of the main channel in the vicinity of the Francis Scott Key Bridge for commercially essential vessels”.

“This will mark an important first step along the road to reopening the port of Baltimore,” said Captain David O’Connell, Federal On-Scene Coordinator, Key Bridge Response 2024.

“By opening this alternate route, we will support the flow of marine traffic into Baltimore.”

Maryland governor says disaster is a ‘national economic catastrophe’

09:41 , Rachel Sharp

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has warned that the Key Bridge disaster is a “national economic catastrophe” that will have a wide-ranging and long-lasting impact on the American economy.

“People have to remember this is not a Baltimore catastrophe, not a Maryland catastrophe,” he told CNN’s “State of the Union on Sunday.

“This is a national economic catastrophe as well.”

He explained: “This port is one of the busiest, most active ports inside of the country. And so this is not just going to have an impact on Maryland. This is going to impact the farmer in Kentucky. This is going to impact the auto dealer in Ohio. This is going to impact the restaurant owner in Tennessee.”

Over in Oklahoma… Barge hits bridge just days after Baltimore tragedy

09:20 , Rachel Sharp

A highway in Oklahoma was temporarily shut on Saturday after a barge struck a bridge over the Arkansas River, just days after the tragic collision in Maryland.

State patrol troopers closed US Highway 59 about 1:25 pm after receiving word of the incident and diverted traffic from the area, spokesperson Sarah Stewart said.

The bridge, which crosses the Arkansas River where it enters the Robert S Kerr Reservoir, was later inspected and the highway reopened to traffic around 4 pm.

Read on…

Barge hits bridge in Oklahoma just days after Baltimore tragedy

Last driver on Baltimore bridge was saved by a minute

08:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

One of the last drivers to cross the Key Bridge in Baltimore before its collapse said he skipped death by a whisker.

Larry Desantis crossed the bridge on Tuesday morning while traveling from Pasadena to Dundalk for his second job.

“If I was one minute later, I probably wouldn’t be here now,” Mr Desantis told 13ABC.

Mr Desantis said he was driving at around 45 miles per hour because of the construction. The six migrant construction workers have been presumed dead, with authorities combing the river for the remains of four of them.

“There was a police car when I went by, right before the toll bridge. From what I understand, they knew something was going to happen, so he was waiting to get the word to stop the traffic. So, I guess I was like the last one that went through,” Mr Desantis added.

Pete Buttigieg says no timeline for reopening of Baltimore port

08:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg said there is no timeline yet on when the Port of Baltimore will reopen as authorities rush to clear the debris of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge.

The navy and the army corps of engineers were deploying a 1,000-tonne crane and a 600-tonne crane to clear the debris, Mr Buttigieg told ABC on Sunday.

“They have not wanted to speculate yet on a timeline because the operation is so complex,” he said.

“It’s not that you just have to remove the wreckage, it’s that you have to do it in a way that doesn’t cause portions of the bridge that are there across the water to shift.

“They’ve been under a lot of compression, tension. They could behave almost like a spring if they are not expertly managed.”

Baltimore’s mayor calls for bipartisan Key Bridge repair

07:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The mayor of the city of Baltimore is calling on Congress to act as a united body in response to the devastation caused by the crash of a massive container ship into his city’s iconic Francis Scott Key Bridge, which destroyed the crossing and has shut down one of the biggest ports on the East Coast.

Mayor Brandon Scott appeared on CBS’s Face the Nation and told guest host Ed O’Keefe that the disaster was more than just an issue for his state, citing the specific sectors likely to be impacted by the expected months-long closure of the port. The Port of Baltimore is the largest import site for foreign automobiles in the US, and also services other sectors including agriculture.

“This should not be something that has anything or any conversation around party,” he told CBS. “It matters to the global economy.”

John Bowden reports.

Baltimore’s mayor calls for bipartisan Key Bridge repair as he faces GOP opposition

Baker commuting over Baltimore bridge did not hear crash because of loud radio

07:00 , Mike Bedigan

A Baltimore baker who drove over the Francis Scott Key Bridge seconds before its collapse, says he had been blissfully unaware of the catastrophe until receiving a call from a panicked co-worker.

Read the full story here:

Baker commuting over Baltimore bridge did not hear crash because of loud radio

Baltimore mayor responds to racist remarks

06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Baltimore mayor Brandon Scott has responded to racist remarks that he had to endure since the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge last week.

Following the collapse, conservatives on social media began falsely attributing the incident to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes, calling Mr Scott a “DEI mayor”.

“I am a young Black man, a young Black mayor in this country. We know that there are a lot of racism folks who think I shouldn’t be in this job,” Mr Scott, 39, told CBS News on Sunday.

“I know that. I’ve been Black my whole life. I know how racism goes in this country. But my focus is always going to be on those people. I didn’t want to be out there that night answering questions about DEI. I’m worried about the loss of life.

“And ignoring the noise of folks who simply want to be divisive and are afraid that their way of life, where people that don’t look like them and think like them can be in control, can be in power and actually be better at the job,” he added.

Preparation underway to open ‘alternate channel’, says Port of Baltimore captain

06:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The captain of the Port of Baltimore has said authorities are preparing to open an alternate channel in the vicinity of the Key Bridge.

“This will mark an important first step along the road to reopening the port of Baltimore,” Capt David O’Connell said on Sunday.

Captain O’Connell is the Maryland commander for the Coast Guard and on-scene coordinator for the wreckage clear-up operation.

“By opening this alternate route, we will support the flow of marine traffic into Baltimore,” he said.

Moore: ‘We are Maryland tough and Baltimore strong’

05:00 , Mike Bedigan

Workers remove first piece of bridge wreckage

04:46 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Workers began removing the rubble of the collapsed Francis Key Scott bridge from the Patapsco River on Sunday.

A 200-tonne segment of the bridge was lifted and transferred using a crane to offload and process those parts at Tradepoint Atlantic in Sparrows Point, governor Wes Moore said.

The bridge collapsed early on Tuesday morning, killing six migrant road workers, when a container ship nearly lost power and crashed into a support pylon.

The wreckage and hazardous weather conditions have made it impossible for divers to continue searching for the four remaining bodies of the deceased construction workers in recent days, governor Moore said.

Maryland governor urges Congress to pass funding for Key Bridge

04:21 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Maryland governor Wes Moore has urged Republicans to work with Democrats to approve federal funding for rebuilding the Key bridge to get the port economy back on its feet.

The Joe Biden administration released $60m in initial emergency aid on Thursday to assist in cleaning up the bridge debris and reopening the port, which is the largest in the US for “roll-on, roll-off” vehicle imports and exports of farm and construction equipment.

Mr Moore said Republicans should be willing to approve the funding for the sake of not just the city of Baltimore, but for the national economy.

“The reason that we need people to move in a bipartisan basis … is not because we need you to do Maryland a favour,” Mr Moore told CNN on Sunday.

“We need to make sure that we’re actually moving quickly to get the American economy going again, because the Port of Baltimore is instrumental in our larger economic growth.”

Easter message from Maryland Governor

03:00 , Mike Bedigan

How much will the bridge cost and who will pay?

Monday 1 April 2024 00:45 , Mike Bedigan

President Joe Biden promised to visit Baltimore soon and said he wanted the federal government to pay to rebuild the bridge.

The Transportation Department on Thursday awarded $60 million in “quick release” emergency relief funds to aid in clearing debris and begin the process of rebuilding.

To replace the bridge, Congress would need to approve funding. After the bridge collapse in 2007 in Minnesota, Congress allocated $250 million.

Initial estimates put the cost of rebuilding the bridge at $600 million, according to economic analysis company IMPLAN.

Federal officials have told Maryland lawmakers the final cost of rebuilding the bridge could soar to at least $2 billion, Roll Call reported, citing a source familiar with the discussions.

Insurers could face billions of dollars in claims, analysts said, with one putting the cost at as much as $4 billion, which would make the tragedy a record shipping insurance loss.

Reuters

Maryland Governor: Bridge emergency response is a ‘round the clock operation’

Sunday 31 March 2024 23:15 , Mike Bedigan

At a press conference on Saturday, Maryland Governor Wes Moore told reporters that ongoing work in the aftermath of the Francis Scott Key bridge was a “round the clock operation”.

“Our work has only accelerated and we have a series of 24/7 operations currently underway,” he said.

“Unified Command are conducting planning and engineering assessments 24 hours a day. We have assets on the water, enforcing safety zones 24 hours a day. We have assessments on the Dali being conducted 24 hours a day.

“This is an around the clock operation. And we’re going to ramp up our 24/7 posture in the coming days.”

Recap: Four bodies remain unaccounted for

Sunday 31 March 2024 19:30 , Mike Bedigan

Four bodies are still missing after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed on Tuesday morning.

Divers found the two victims trapped in a red pickup truck a little before 10 am on Wednesday in about 25 feet of water around the bridge’s middle span.

They were identified as construction workers Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, of Baltimore and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, of Dundalk, Maryland.

Meanwhile, four other missing construction workers remain unaccounted for.

On Tuesday, officials said two people had been rescued alive from the water. One was uninjured while the other was in a serious condition.

Though search efforts were previously paused, Maryland authorities say that rescue divers are currently “on standby” and will return to the waters when conditions improve.

Watch: Maryland governor says recovery efforts are ’round the clock’ after Baltimore bridge collapse

Sunday 31 March 2024 18:45 , Mike Bedigan

How long will it take to rebuild the Baltimore bridge?

Sunday 31 March 2024 18:00 , Mike Bedigan

Rebuilding Baltimore’s collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge could be a lengthy process and will depend on whether any of the remaining structures can be salvaged.

Experts say it could take anywhere from 18 months to several years.

It took five years to construct the original bridge from 1972-1977.

Read more here:

Oklahoma highway temporarily shut after barge hits bridge

Sunday 31 March 2024 17:30 , Mike Bedigan

A highway in Oklahoma was temporarily shut on Saturday after a barge struck a bridge over the Arkansas River.

State patrol troopers closed US Highway 59 about 1:25 pm after receiving word of the incident and diverted traffic from the area,l spokesperson Sarah Stewart said.

The bridge, which crosses the Arkansas River where it enters the Robert S Kerr Reservoir, was later inspected and the highway reopened to traffic around 4 pm.

“Engineers inspected the structure and found it safe to reopen,” the Oklahoma Department of Transportation said in an email.

There were no reports of injuries on the highway or the barge, and the cause of the collision remains unknown.

Rescue divers to resume searches as soon as conditions improve

Sunday 31 March 2024 13:00 , Mike Bedigan

Authorities say that rescue divers will return to the waters surrounding the collapsed Francis Scott Key bridge as soon as conditions improve. Recovery and salvage missions were previously called off due to water temperatures and other hazards.

At a press conference on Saturday, Maryland Governor Wes Moore told reporters: “Right now, the conditions make it unsafe for rescue divers. But as soon as those conditions change, Colonel [Roland] Butler has assured me that those rescue divers will be going right back in the water.”

Colonel Butler, Maryland State Police Chief, later added: “The Maryland State Police continue to be an active part of the Unified Command. As governor Moore mentioned, the brave members of our underwater rescue teams remain on standby.

“They will resume their recovery efforts once a unified command has informed them it is safe to resume diving operations.”

Watch: Maryland governor says recovery efforts are ’round the clock’ after Baltimore bridge collapse

Sunday 31 March 2024 11:00 , Mike Bedigan

Crews begin work to lift a piece of collapsed bridge

Sunday 31 March 2024 06:00 , Stuti Mishra

Crews started lifting the first section of Baltimore’s collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge from the water on Saturday, a move aimed at allowing access for barges and tugboats to reach the disaster site.

Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said that a collaborative effort involving teams from the Coast Guard, the US Navy’s salvage arm, and the US Army Corps of Engineers is underway.

The workers are currently focusing on lifting a section of the bridge while leaving the crumpled part resting on the bow of the Dali, the container ship responsible for the bridge collapse, officials said.

The operation on Saturday involved cutting a piece just north of the channel and lifting it with a 160-ton marine crane onto a barge. A larger, 1,000-ton crane is also deployed at the bridge site.

Once lifted, the piece will be transported to Tradepoint Atlantic, the former Bethlehem Steel Mill site, which is being transformed into a distribution centre.

Governor Wes Moore declined to provide a timeline for this portion of the clearance work.

“It’s not going to take hours,” he said. “It’s not going to take days, but once we complete this phase of the work, we can move more tugs and more barges and more boats into the area to accelerate our recovery.”

Pete Buttigieg bashes misinformation surrounding cause of collapse

Sunday 31 March 2024 04:00 , Mike Bedigan

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called it “upsetting” that in the face of tragedy – the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key bridge – conspiracy theories have circulated to explain what caused the disaster that left six people to be presumed dead.

CNN’s Kaitlan Collins pointed out there have been “wild conspiracy theories” about what caused the disaster, ranging from a cyberattack, the captain having side effects from a Covid-19 vaccine, and blaming the Obamas.

She asked Mr Buttigieg whether he thought he would have to combat these conspiracy theories in the midst of a crisis?

“We’re in the business of dealing with roads and bridges and sometimes ships and trains,” he said. “So we are not in the habit as a Department of Transportation, of being in the business of dealing with conspiracies, or conspiracy theories or that kind of wild thinking. But unfortunately, it is a fact of life in America today.

“What’s really upsetting is when misinformation or disinformation circulates, that is not without victims.

“This is a human tragedy,” Mr Buttigieg said, adding that six men lost their lives.

Read the full story…

Pete Buttigieg slams conspiracy theories about Baltimore bridge collapse

Watch: Baltimore to receive $60 million in federal funds to rebuild

Sunday 31 March 2024 00:00 , Mike Bedigan

Coast Guard chief details debris removal process

Saturday 30 March 2024 23:30 , Mike Bedigan

On Saturday Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said that crane-lift operations to remove parts of the Francis Scott Key bridge were underway.

Mr Gilreath said the first piece of the bridge to be removed was a “top section” but he was unable to specify demensions. Engineers must first cut up the bridge before it can be moved.

“They’re gonna get it into a size that they can manage with the crane that they have to lift it. The crane I believe is 160 tonne lift crane and… it’s gonna take the day to do it,” he said.

“I mean, they had to do the engineering process to plan how we could make those cuts. They’re making those cuts, then they’re going to have to put straps to rig it and then they will rig it and they will set it on a barge so it can be brought back here.”

Fundraisers garner $200k for families of victims

Saturday 30 March 2024 22:30 , Mike Bedigan

One GoFundMe page raised over $98,000 in just nine hours.

The fundraiser, organised by the volunteer group Latino Racial Justice Circle, explained that the cash would be “distributed directly” to the “families of the victims” of the bridge collapse.

Eight construction workers, employed by Brawners Builders, were filling potholes in the early hours of 26 March, when the Dali container ship lost power and rammed into the bridge, causing them to fall into the Patapsco River.

While early search efforts led to the safe rescue of two men, six others were killed in the accident.

All of the missing men from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, Col Roland Butler Jr of Maryland State Police said at a press conference.

The organisers of the fundraiser wrote, “We know that the 6 victims were all Latino immigrants,” some of whom “were supporting partners and children in the Southeast Baltimore and Dundalk communities.”

“As they move forward with their shock and grief, the families will need support with basic needs, such as rent, groceries, and utilities,” they wrote.

Read the full story…

GoFundMe tops $98k for families of Baltimore bridge collapse victims

Watch: Massive crane arrives to haul wreckage

Saturday 30 March 2024 22:00 , Mike Bedigan

The largest crane on the US eastern seaboard has been called in to help clear the wreckage of Baltimore’s collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Shipments in and out of one of America’s busiest ports are suspended while the wreckage hangs over the cargo ship that crashed into it.

Crews were still surveying the damage as of midday on Friday 29 March and a search for the bodies of four workers remains on hold because of the dangers of diving amongst the wreckage.

The crane, which can lift up to 1,000 tons, arrived late Thursday night and is expected to start hauling debris out of the water on Saturday morning.

A cargo ship crashed into the Key Bridge early on Tuesday, sending the structure tumbling into the Patapsco River.

Watch here:

Largest crane on eastern seaboard in place to clear wreckage of Baltimore bridge

Watch: Recovery efforts are ‘round the clock’ after Baltimore bridge collapse, Maryland governor says

Saturday 30 March 2024 21:30 , Mike Bedigan

Recovery efforts are ‘round the clock’ after Baltimore bridge collapse, governor says

Construction worker ‘miraculously’ survives Baltimore bridge collapse without knowing how to swim

Saturday 30 March 2024 20:30 , Mike Bedigan

A construction worker who was part of the team on the Francis Scott Key Bridge when it collapsed early on Tuesday morning in Baltimore, miraculously survived the incident despite not knowing how to swim.

Julio Cervantes’ and seven other workers from Mexico and Central America were taking a break inside their cars just moments before the bridge collapsed around 1:30am.

Mr Cervantes and another man were rescued the same day. The remains of Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, were recovered by searchers.

He was taken to the hospital with a chest wound and was released the same day

“My husband doesn’t know how to swim. It is a miracle he survived,” the wife of Cervantes, who did not wish to reveal her name, told NBC.

Discussion with Baltimore port workers ongoing

Saturday 30 March 2024 20:00 , Mike Bedigan

Watch: Maryland governor says recovery efforts are ’round the clock’ after Baltimore bridge collapse

Saturday 30 March 2024 18:15 , Mike Bedigan

Baltimore mayor: ‘Right pace’ is needed to reach our goals

Saturday 30 March 2024 17:50 , Mike Bedigan

Baltimore mayor Brandon Scott also used a running metaphor to describe recovery efforts at the Francis Scott Key bridge, saying that the “right pace” was needed.

“I’m a runner, and I will say it like this. The winner of the marathon or the 5k is never the person who starts out the fastest,” he said.

“In fact, in my experience, those people end up last or not finishing the race at all. The winner always has the right pace and finishes with a strong kick. That will be all of us when we celebrate the reopening of the channel and the reopening of the brace in the future.

“We will all be exhausted, but it will be worth it because we will have achieved our goals the right way and together. Doing it that way, is going to make the process smoother and faster in the long run, and that’s our ultimate goal.”

First crane lift of debris to take place on Saturday

Saturday 30 March 2024 17:44 , Mike Bedigan

Authorities say they intend to conduct their first cran-lifts of debris from the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse on Saturday.

One of the cranes brought to the crash site, the Chesapeake 1000, is capable of lifting 1,000 tonnes — but the bridge is estimated to weigh around three or four times that, so it will need to be cut into sections, Maryland governor Wes Moore said.

At a press conference on Saturday, Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said: “I’m really proud to announce that the governor said we’re going to conduct our first lift today on a piece of a portion of the bridge just north of that deep draft shipping channel.

“And we’re we will continue planning efforts for once we get that clear to open that up for tug and barge traffic to come into the Port of Baltimore, but that’s going to take some more time.

“And this is a step in that process, much like when you run a marathon, you’ve got to take the first few steps. We’re taking those few first few steps, and will continue to get the resources in that will propel us to the finish line, but we’re working to get there as fast as we can.

“We’re going to open it as soon as possible and we’re gonna continue to do it safely.”

Did ‘dirty fuel’ contribute to the Baltimore bridge collapse?

Saturday 30 March 2024 17:30 , Mike Bedigan

Investigators are examining the possible role of “dirty fuel” in the cargo ship collision which destroyed Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge.

The Dali collided with the four-lane road bridge at 1.28am on Tuesday as it sailed out of the Maryland harbour.

Minutes before the collision, the propulsion system on board the vessel went down, alarms sounded, and the vessel began veering towards a support for the bridge.

At 1.26am, the captain called for crew to try to restart the engine and steer hard to the left. A minute later, he ordered them to drop anchor, and issued an emergency radio call to transport authorities on the bridge.

However the Dali, 1,000 ft long and 95,000 tons when empty, would have been virtually impossible to stop. It hit the 1.6mile bridge at 1.28am, causing its immediate collapse into the Patapsco River.

Louise Boyle has the full story…

Did ‘dirty fuel’ play a role in Baltimore bridge collapse?

Watch live: Maryland governor holds press conference following Baltimore bridge collapse

Saturday 30 March 2024 17:21 , Mike Bedigan

Maryland governor holds press conference following Baltimore bridge collapse

Trump criticised for staying silent on Baltimore bridge collapse

Saturday 30 March 2024 16:30 , Mike Bedigan

Former president Donald Trump, who has continued to post attacks against Joe Biden on social media, including a problematic picture of him hogtied at the back of a Maga truck, has remained largely silent on the Baltimore bridge collapse.

Since Tuesday night when a cargo ship slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, killing six people, all immigrants, Mr Trump has only posted one clip of Sean Hannity criticising President Joe Biden for making only a brief remark and “making it all about himself by mentioning his personal connection”.

Mr Trump, who is usually known for his consistent and repeated posts on social media on any topic in the national news, is being criticised for remaining largely silent.

Republican strategist Scott Reed said this silence from Mr Trump is “a little weird,” journalist Mike Sington shared on Twitter.

“It was a national tragedy, it’s going to cost $2 billion, it’s going to screw up a lot of people’s lives and impact goods travelling around the world,” Mr Reed said, according to Mr Sington’s post on X.

“At a minimum, express sympathy toward the poor six men that died that were doing their jobs on the midnight shift, keeping commerce flowing.”

Watch: Maryland Governor sets out four directives following Baltimore bridge crash

Saturday 30 March 2024 16:01 , Mike Bedigan

Maryland state Governor Wes Moore has set out four directives since the crash of the Francis Scott Key bridge on Tuesday.- Continue to prioritize recovery for the families- Clear channel and open vessel traffic to the port – Take care of everyone affected by this crisis – Rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge

Dundalk baker one of the last to drive over Francis Scott Key bridge

Saturday 30 March 2024 14:35 , Mike Bedigan

Larry Desantis, a baker from Dundalk, may have been one of the last people to ever drive across the Francis Scott Key bridge before its collapse.

Mr Desantis, who was on his normal commute across the bridge early on Tuesday morning, said he had not even realised the bridge had collapsed until after having driven over it. He told the Baltimore Banner that he didn’t hear the boom of the bridge crashing down because he had the radio playing.

“I didn’t even know anything was going on, but it was just really eerie when I got off of the bridge and there was nothing [behind me],” Mr Desantis told the Banner. “Because with Amazon there, I’ll see 20 Amazon trucks every morning. I don’t care what day of the week it is. Nothing. There was absolutely nothing.”

He added: “I think about it, I might not be here now if I had been just a little bit later…Just a minute would’ve changed everything. It’s scary, you know.”

Mr Desantis said that later he had gotten a call from a detective to make sure he was safe, though he was not sure how his car registration was obtained.

“They just wanted to know how many people they had to look for. That’s what he told me,” he said.

Despite his brush with death, Mr Desantis has gone into work each day since the bridge collapse, at Herman’s Bakery in Dundalk. Now, his commute on an alternative route takes close to an hour, whereas before it was 20 minutes, he told the Banner.

WATCH: NTSB releases new video on board Dali ship after Baltimore bridge collapse

Saturday 30 March 2024 14:00 , Kelly Rissman

Republican slams President Biden’s pledge to use federal funds to rebuild bridge

Saturday 30 March 2024 13:30 , Kelly Rissman

Earlier this week, Mr Biden said that he would “move heaven and earth” to reopen the bridge “as soon as humanly possible,” adding that he intended to use federal resources to fund the “entire cost” of the project.

“It was kind of outrageous immediately for Biden to express in this tragedy the idea that he’s going to use federal funds to pay for the entirety [of the bridge],” GOP Rep Dan Meuser told Fox News. “First reaction, frankly the only reaction, tends to be to spend.”

The Pennsylvania Republican proposed using funds from the government of Singapore, since the Dali was managed by Synergy Marine Group, a company based in the country. “We just can’t take the easy route all the time and just try to spend the taxpayers’ money,” he said. “There’s no thought. Just spend.”

Baltimore Key Bridge worker reveals last-minute shift change saved his life

Saturday 30 March 2024 12:30 , Kelly Rissman

A construction worker from Baltimore has revealed how he narrowly escaped the deadly Baltimore bridge collapse thanks to a last-minute change in his work shift.

Moises Diaz, a 45-year-old worker at Brawny Builders, told the New York Post that he should have been working on the Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday morning but asked to switch his shift.

“If I didn’t ask to switch, I would have been in the water right now,” Mr Diaz said through a translator.

“It’s tragic,” Mr Diaz continued. “I’m really appreciative that I wasn’t on the bridge. I give thanks to God.”

Mr Diaz’s colleagues weren’t so lucky.

Amelia Neath has the full story…

Baltimore Key Bridge worker reveals last-minute shift change saved his life

EMEA Tribune is not involved in this news article, it is taken from our partners and or from the News Agencies. Copyright and Credit go to the News Agencies, email news@emeatribune.com Follow our WhatsApp verified Channel