The U.S. Coast Guard has announced that the six workers missing after Tuesday’s collapse of a major bridge in Baltimore are presumed dead.
The authorities have decided to halt the search-and-rescue operation for the construction workers. The collapse occurred when a cargo ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge early in the morning, causing it to collapse into the cold waters of the Patapsco River.
This incident has disrupted a vital shipping route along the East Coast.
Maryland State Police have declared it a recovery operation. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath stated, “We do not believe that we are going to find any of these individuals still alive.”
Jeffrey Pritzker, Executive Vice President of Brawner Builders, remarked on Tuesday afternoon that the missing employees were presumed deceased due to the depth of the water and the time elapsed since the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Pritzker expressed disbelief, stating, “This was so completely unforeseen. We don’t know what else to say.
We take such great pride in safety, and we have cones and signs and lights and barriers and flaggers. But we never foresaw that the bridge would collapse.”