China News Service, Washington, March 27 (Reporter Sha Hanting) The Maryland State Police in the United States stated on the 27th local time that they found the remains of two victims of the Baltimore Bridge collapse during the search and rescue operation that day.
Roland L. Butler, chief of the Maryland State Police, said at a press conference that day that search and rescue personnel found a red truck 25 feet (about 7.6 meters) underwater and found the remains of two victims in the vehicle. .
Butler also said that six construction workers were expected to be killed in the bridge collapse, and they were from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. The search and rescue operation for the day has ended, and the search for the other four missing persons will continue.
At 1:27 a.m. Eastern Time on the 26th, a container ship flying the Singapore flag hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The bridge collapsed after being hit. Eight people fell into the water, and two of them were rescued. The U.S. Coast Guard stated on the evening of the 26th that the six missing people who fell into the water were presumed dead.
Jennifer Homendy, chairman of the U.S. National Safety Transportation Board, said on the 27th that the investigation team had boarded the ship that day and was trying to obtain information from electronic equipment and documents. There were 23 people on board the vessel at the time of the accident. The ship also carried 56 containers of dangerous goods, including corrosives, flammable materials and lithium-ion batteries.
Homendy also said that the investigation into the accident is expected to last 12 to 24 months. At present, "we are only collecting information, not analyzing the information, and will not provide conclusions."
U.S. Transportation Secretary Buttigieg said that day that there has been no assessment of the damage caused by the bridge collapse, and there is no timetable for rebuilding the bridge. Buttigieg also said the private companies responsible for the accident will be held accountable.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore was opened to traffic in 1977. It is about 2.6 kilometers long and has an annual traffic volume of about 11.5 million vehicles. It is a very important bridge in the local area. The Associated Press stated that the collapse of the bridge will interrupt shipping in the Port of Baltimore and will also affect freight and public commuting. (over)