The recent tragedy at the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in the Patapsco River has claimed a fourth victim, whose body was recovered by salvage teams on Monday. The collapse occurred while six construction workers were repairing potholes on the bridge, resulting in their deaths and leaving two workers still missing. The FBI has launched a criminal investigation focusing on the Singapore-flagged ship, the Dali, which caused the collapse by ramming into the bridge shortly after setting sail from Baltimore to Sri Lanka with around 4,700 containers.
The victims of the collapse have been identified as Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval, and Carlos Daniel Hernández. Maryland Governor Wes Moore expressed his condolences for these workers and their contributions to the state’s infrastructure. Moore has appointed a liaison to support the families of the victims and proposed a scholarship program for families of transportation workers who die on the job, with Baltimore officials establishing a fund to assist the victims’ families.
In response to the impact of the collapse on businesses and workers, Moore signed an executive order providing $60 million in support. The closure of the Port of Baltimore, a vital hub for the economy, poses risks to supply chains and the state’s economy, leading to initiatives like the Port of Baltimore Worker Retention Program. Engineers are working to clear the bridge wreckage and plan to open a limited access channel by the end of April, with a permanent channel expected to reopen by the end of May.
President Joe Biden has pledged $60 million for emergency work on the bridge and promised federal funding for the reconstruction. However, legal action is being pursued against the owner and operator of the Dali for their liability in the disaster. Baltimore officials are working with legal firms to address the catastrophic impact of the collapse and hold responsible parties accountable for this tragedy in what has been described as one of the largest inner-city maritime disasters in U.S. history.
