The U.S. Coast Guard has created a temporary channel for boats involved in clearing the debris at the location of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, as part of a step-by-step plan to open the main channel leading to the important port, officials explained.
Teams are working on removing steel and concrete at the site where the bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River after a container ship lost power and hit a supporting column. Divers surveyed parts of the bridge and checked the ship on Sunday, while workers used torches to cut above-water parts of the twisted steel superstructure from lifts.
Authorities mentioned that the temporary channel is only open to boats helping with the cleanup. It is crucial to recover the bodies of the four workers who are believed to have fallen to their deaths in the collapse. This recovery is a significant part of the ongoing salvage operation.
Previously, officials had announced that the channel would have a controlling depth of 11 feet (over 3 meters), a horizontal clearance of 264 feet (80 meters), and a vertical clearance of 96 feet (29 meters). A video released on Sunday showed the Coast Guard placing buoys in the water.
“This is an important first step towards reopening the port of Baltimore,” stated Capt. David O’Connell, the federal on-scene coordinator of the response, on Monday. “By opening this alternative route, we will support the flow of marine traffic into Baltimore.”
The Small Business Administration is setting up a center in Dundalk, Maryland, on Monday to assist small businesses in obtaining loans to compensate for losses resulting from the bridge collapse.
President Joe Biden will visit the site of the bridge collapse on Friday, as announced by White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Monday. He will meet with state and local officials and gain a firsthand understanding of federal response efforts, Jean-Pierre said.
The bridge collapsed when the crew of the cargo ship Dali lost power and control on March 26. They issued a distress call, which gave police enough time to stop vehicles from entering the bridge, but not enough time to evacuate a team of eight workers from the structure.
Two workers survived, two bodies were discovered in a submerged pickup truck, and four more men are presumed dead. Bad weather and the tangled debris underwater have made it too hazardous for divers to search for their bodies.
The Dali is managed by Synergy Marine Group and owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd. It was chartered by Danish shipping company Maersk and lost power while leaving the port.
In addition to clearing the shipping channel to reopen the port, officials are working on plans to rebuild the major bridge, which was finished in 1977. It served as the route for Interstate 695 around southeast Baltimore and came to symbolize the city’s working-class heritage and maritime culture.
Congress is expected to review aid packages to assist those who lose jobs or businesses due to the prolonged closure of the Port of Baltimore. The port handles more cars and farm equipment than any other U.S. facility.
