The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, has become the site of one of the worst bridge collapses in the country’s history. The bridge was struck by the cargo ship Dali, resulting in a devastating scene of twisted metal, crushed containers, and jagged concrete pillars protruding from the water.
The U.S. Coast Guard allowed The New York Times to witness the aftermath of the collapse up close, painting a haunting picture of the destruction. The cargo ship, manned by crew members from India, remained in the water, surrounded by floating booms to contain spills and stacked shipping containers shielding the wreckage behind them.
State officials onboard the Coast Guard vessel expressed shock and disbelief at the scale of the collapse as they approached the cargo ship. Warped masses of the bridge sliced through the steel deck of the ship, creating a chaotic metallic maze of debris.
Despite the efforts of rescue teams, the bodies of Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera have been recovered, but four men remain missing and are presumed to be trapped beneath the wreckage. These men, from El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala, have not yet been identified by authorities.
As the Coast Guard ship turned away from the scene, the gravity of the tragedy lingered in the air, with heavy clouds overhead and the memory of the collapsed bridge etched into the minds of all who witnessed the devastation. The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those who work on and around these vital structures.
