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Baltimore to receive $60 million in federal funds to rebuild
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‘Structural failures’ are to blame for the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, experts have said, as a massive cleanup operation begins.
While it is too early to say exactly what happened during the collision and the collapse that resulted, experts have revealed that the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which was designed in the 1970s, might not have been designed with the vast size and power of the ships that sail under it today in mind.
“It’s conceivable that the piers weren’t designed to withstand the magnitude of today’s ship impacts, as vessels like the ‘Dali’ weren’t navigating the Port of Baltimore during the era,” said professor Toby Mottram from the University of Warwick.
A massive cleanup operation is now underway to clear the wreckage of the bridge from the river, with huge crane ships, and thousands of relief workers headed for Baltimore.
The wreckage needs to be cleared to help advance recovery efforts, after diving operations were suspended Wednesday night due to “security concerns,” as well as to reopen the channel and ultimately rebuild the bridge, governor Moore said.
President Biden also announced he has approved $60m in initial aid to rebuild the bridge.
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Key points Two bodies found in search for missing workers after Baltimore Key Bridge collapse Investigators reveal precise timeline of bridge disaster Maryland State Police suspend recovery effort, citing dangerous conditions in water Watch: Moment Francis Scott Key Bridge collapses after ship collision New NTSB video shows investigators surveying damage to Dali ship after Baltimore bridge collapse
Show latest update 33 minutes ago Wife of Baltimore bridge collapse survivor says workers were on break in their cars when bridge came down
The wife of one of the survivors of the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore has revealed the construction workers were on break in their cars when the bridge came down.
“All of the men were on a break in their cars when the boat hit. We don’t know if they were warned before the impact,” the wife of Julio Cervantes told NBC News on Thursday.
Mr Cervantes was one of eight construction workers on the bridge when the Dali cargo ship crashed into a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the early hours of Tuesday morning, causing the whole thing to collapse.
He and another man were rescued alive that day, while two other bodies of construction crew members were recovered from the water on Wednesday. The remaining four have not been found but are presumed dead.
Mr Cervantes’ wife said it is a “miracle” her husband survived the crash because he “does not know how to swim.”
Cervantes was taken to the hospital with a chest wound and was released the same day, his wife said. The other worker rescued on Tuesday was in good condition and refused treatment, authorities previously said.
The remains of Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, were recovered by searchers in the Port of Baltimore on Wednesday morning. They were found in a red pickup truck trapped under 25 feet of water near what was once the middle of the bridge.
Mr Cervantes’ wife said her brother in law was one of the two men recovered on Wednesday, though she did not share his name. She added that her nephew is still missing.
“We haven’t been able to sleep, waiting for word if they’re going to find a relative,” she said.
Police block off the approach of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridg
(Getty Images)
Martha Mchardy 29 March 2024 11:20
53 minutes ago Last minute efforts before ship crashed into Baltimore bridge revealed
As the cargo ship Dali drifted out of control and towards Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday morning, emergency radio chatter captured from open-source recordings show details of last-minute efforts to save lives.
“Hold all traffic on the Key Bridge. There’s a ship approaching that just lost their steering,” someone is heard saying over a police radio.
While voices were heard discussing next steps, including alerting any work crews to leave the bridge, one broke through to say: “The whole bridge just fell down!” The audio was carried by the public streaming service Broadcastify.
Of the ship’s 4,700 cargo containers, two containers went overboard during the crash but they did not contain hazardous materials, US Vice Admiral Peter Gautier said at a White House briefing.
The ship was carrying more than 1.5 million gallons of fuel oil, he added.
Chilling audio reveals scramble to clear Baltimore bridge before ship crash Harrowing audio reveals authorities scrambled to stop vehicles crossing the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore moments before it collapsed. Six construction workers who were on the bridge as it tumbled into the water are presumed dead, and a search for them has been suspended. The incident happened after a cargo ship crashed into the structure in the early hours of Tuesday morning (26 March). It had made a mayday call moments before the collision. “We’ve got to stop all traffic,” an official is heard saying in dramatic audio released by the Maryland Transportation Authority, as the incident unfolds.
Michelle Del Rey 29 March 2024 11:00
55 minutes ago Massive cleanup operation underway to clear bridge debris from channel
A massive cleanup operation is underway to clear the debris of the Francis Scott Key bridge from the channel below after it collapsed on Tuesday, governor Wes Moore has said.
Huge crane ships and thousands of relief workers are headed for Baltimore, the governor said, as officials race to get one of the nation’s largest shipping hubs back on track.
Mr Moore said that the wreckage needs to be cleared to help advance recovery efforts, after diving operations were suspended on Wednesday night due to “security concerns,” as well as to reopen the channel and ultimately rebuild the bridge.
Federal officials have not described in detail how they plan to carry out the clean up mission, but Peter Ford, founder of SkyRock Advisors which provides consulting on infrastructure projects, told the Washington Post that officials would begin by using sonar and other tools to map out where debris lies on the floor of the Patapsco River, which is about 50 feet deep.
It comes as President Biden announced he had approved $60m in initial aid to rebuild the bridge, which is now on ots way to Baltimore.
Martha Mchardy 29 March 2024 10:58
1 hour ago Secretary Buttigieg calls out Baltimore bridge conspiracies
Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg has called out wild conspiracy theories over the collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore.
Since the bridge collapsed on Tuesday, wild conspiracy theories have circulated online about the cause of the crash, which has not yet been established.
Mr Buttigieg called out those who have pushed misinformation in an interview with CNN on Thursday.
“Unfortunately, it’s a fact of life in America today,” he said.
“What’s really upsetting is when misinformation or disinformation circulates, that is not without victims. This is a human tragedy.”
Martha Mchardy 29 March 2024 10:40
1 hour ago Baltimore: Two bodies recovered following Key Bridge collapse
Baltimore: Two bodies recovered following Key Bridge collapse
Martha Mchardy 29 March 2024 10:20
1 hour ago Biden approves $60m in initial aid as governor warns Baltimore has ‘very long road ahead'
President Biden has approved $60m in initial aid to rebuild the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore after it collapsed on Tuesday.
The president said the federal government will over the “lion’s share” of the cost of rebuilding the bridge, though state Governor Wes Moore warned of a “very long road” to recovery.
State officials have warned that they do not know when the bridge or port will be reopened, sparking fears about the disruption to trade likely to result from the tragedy.
In a press conference on Thursday, Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced the approval of the funds, telling reporters: “This morning, we submitted an initial $60 million request to the Biden Harris administration for initial mobilisation, operations and debris recovery efforts.
“I can report that as of this afternoon, the Biden Harris Administration has approved that request.”
A statement from the US Department of Transportation said the $60m “quick release” funds would “serve as a down payment toward initial costs, and additional Emergency Relief program funding will be made available as work continues.”
Insurance service company AM Best has estimated that the exact total cost of the bridge collapse and the associated claims would run “into the billions”.
Martha Mchardy 29 March 2024 10:00
2 hours ago Watch: NTSB new video shows investigators surveying damage to Dali ship after Baltimore bridge collapse
The NTSB has released a new video showing investigators surveying the damage to the Dali container ship after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
The remains of the bridge are seen floating in the river below in the video, while officials survey the damage to the interior of the ship.
All 22 crew members survived the crash, with only one person reporting minor injuries.
NTSB releases new video on board Dali ship after Baltimore bridge collapse
Martha Mchardy 29 March 2024 09:40
2 hours ago Four bodies remain unaccounted for
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.
Martha Mchardy 29 March 2024 09:19
2 hours ago Construction worker 'miraculously' survives Baltimore bridge collapse without knowing how to swim
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.
Stuti Mishra 29 March 2024 09:00
2 hours ago Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers will cleanup channel and reopen port
Two two agencies will work of making the port fully operational again, officials said during a White House press briefing that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Vice Admiral Peter Gautier attended.
(AP)
Michelle Del Rey 29 March 2024 09:00
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1/ 1Experts reveal cause of Baltimore Key Bridge collapse - latest updates
Experts reveal cause of Baltimore Key Bridge collapse - latest updates
Baltimore Key Bridge collapse victims list
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