As a large search and rescue operation looks for victims following the fall of the Baltimore bridge, authorities in Baltimore, Maryland, announced that they had detected the existence of many cars buried in the water.
In a press conference, Baltimore City Fire Chief James Wallace stated that a cargo ship struck the Francis Scott Key bridge, a significant roadway in Maryland, causing it to collapse on March 26.
He verified that in an attempt to find victims in the water, officials had initiated a massive search and rescue operation. Wallace claimed that the water is “influenced by current.” He declared that as divers get “closer to the debris field,” “we are battling darkness.”
As the search is still ongoing, the victim names have not yet been disclosed by the authorities. The collapse happened on March 26 at 1:30 in the morning.
What is known about the victims of the Baltimore bridge collapse is as follows:
There may be more victims of the Baltimore Bridge, but at least seven people are thought to be missing.
Wallace stated during the press conference that although the exact number of victims is always changing, as of March 26 in the morning, authorities think at least seven persons are missing.
Up to 20 people may be in the river, according to Baltimore City Fire Department spokesperson Kevin Cartwright, who also stated that “numerous vehicles, and possibly a tractor-trailer or a vehicle as large as a tractor-trailer, (that) went into the river.”
He told Reuters, “This is a multi-agency, mass-casualty event.” “This operation will take several days to complete.”
The moment the cargo ship struck the bridge and caused it to collapse was captured on camera.
According to Maryland Secretary of Transportation Paul Wiedefeld, the ship impacted the bridge at 1:30 a.m., resulting in a “catastrophic collapse.” This was stated in a subsequent press conference.
Authorities Said That Some of the Victims of the Baltimore Bridge Collapsed Were Workers on the Bridge at the Time of the Collapse
According to Wiedefeld, workers were on the bridge when it fell.
According to Wiedefeld, “We know there were people on the bridge working on it at the time of the collapse, contractors for us
Wallace stated that authorities think that a few of the victims may have fallen into the wate
“A complete collapse of the Key bridge,” according to Wallace, was what happene
“It’s likely that a number of people were on the bridge when it collapsed, and that number of people ended up on the water.” Wallace stated, “We succeeded in pulling two individuals out of the water.d.r..”
There Are Vehicles in the WaterÂ
Wallace stated that although sonar has identified several sunken cars, authorities are still attempting to ascertain the exact number of cars on the bridge at the time of its collapse.
Wallace reported, “Our sonar has detected the presence of vehicles submerged in the water,” outlining a significant search and rescue effort.
He said that specialists had not yet informed authorities that they had arrived at a point from where human survival was impossible.
The collision’s cause remains unclear.
CNN reports that the cargo ship is flying the Singaporean flag. Videos appeared to show the ship perhaps losing power, followed by smoke plumes emerging from it.
Two Individuals Were Saved From the WaterÂ
ence, Wallace reported that two individuals were recovered from the sea; one escaped unharmed, and the other was listed in a hospital’s “very serious condition.”
Beyond that, he had no further information about those victims.
Mayor Brandon Scott referred to it as a “unthinkable tragedy” during the same press conference and asked for prayers for the victims, their families, and everyone else affected.
