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Baltimore has been trending on social media and cable news since early this morning when tragedy struck the city. The Francis Scott Key bridge collapsed after a shipping boat crashed into it carrying what looks like hundreds of shipping containers. Instantly the bridge sank into the frigid Patapsco River along with several vehicles and people.
According to the Baltimore Sun, two people were rescued, however, six construction workers have still not been found as authorities are searching desperately to recover their bodies.
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AP reports that their employer, Brawner Builders, is presuming that all six men are dead. One of their coworkers, Jesus Campos, spoke to the media after the accident.
“When he told me that, they came to mind and I was praying to God that nothing had happened to them,” Campos said, speaking in Spanish.
“It is so hard for me to describe. I know that a month ago I was there, and I know what it feels like when the trailers pass. Imagine knowing that it is falling. It is so hard, one would not know what to do.”
The ship is said to have lost power and was waywardly drifting toward the bridge at approximately 9 MPH when it issued a “mayday” to Maryland Transportation Authority Police who scrambled to keep people from driving onto the bridge. The company that was operating the ship, Synergy Marine, is owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd and AP also states that they have been sued four times in federal court for allegations of negligence.
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President Biden addressed the nation today and vowed to have the bridge rebuilt by the federal government.
Via Baltimore Sun:
“I expect the Congress to support my effort. This is going to take some time, but the people of Baltimore can count on us, though, to stick with it every step of the way until the port is reopened and the bridge is rebuilt,” he said.
We will bring you more information about the ongoing effort to recover the missing as details become publicly available.
