March 26, 2024 - Baltimore Key Bridge collapses after ship collision

By Helen Regan, Kathleen Magramo, Antoinette Radford, Alisha Ebrahimji, Maureen Chowdhury, Rachel Ramirez, Elise Hammond, Aditi Sangal, Tori B. Powell, Piper Hudspeth Blackburn and Kathleen Magramo, CNN

Updated 2:04 a.m. ET, March 27, 2024

What we covered here

Two of the six construction workers who were missing after Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed are from Guatemala, the country's Foreign Affairs Ministry said late Tuesday.
The US Coast Guard has ended the rescue operation for the six workers, who were on the bridge when it collapsed. "We do not believe that we are going to find any of these individuals still alive," Commander Shannon Gilreath said.
Ahead of the collision, the ship's crew notified officials with a "mayday" call that allowed authorities to stop traffic before impact and likely saved lives, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.
The collapse that has indefinitely halted the flow of ships in and out of Baltimore could hurt the local economy, strain supply chains and scramble deliveries along the US East Coast.

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4:33 p.m. ET, March 26, 2024

Federal resources have been directed to help in collapsed bridge response, Vice President Harris says

From CNN's Donald Judd

Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks during a campaign event with President Joe Biden in Raleigh, North Carolina, Tuesday, March 26. Stephanie Scarbrough/AP

Vice President Kamala Harris said the federal government has directed its resources to help with the ongoing search and rescue operation in Baltimore after a bridge collapsed on Tuesday.

At the beginning of her remarks in North Carolina, she said she spoke with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.

The federal resources will be used to "assist with the search and rescue, to reopen the port, and to rebuild the bridge as quickly as possible. And of course, I know we all will stand and continue to stand with the people of Maryland," Harris said.

Earlier Tuesday, in remarks from the White House, President Joe Biden told reporters he’d directed his team “to move heaven and earth to reopen the port and rebuild the bridge as soon as humanly possible,” promising to travel to Baltimore “as quickly as I can” to survey the damage himself.

4:14 p.m. ET, March 26, 2024

Investigation into possible vehicles on the bridge is ongoing, Maryland governor says

From CNN's Maureen Chowdhury

Governor Wes Moore speaks at a news conference on Tuesday, March 26. Barbara Haddock Taylor/The Baltimore Sun/TNS/Getty Images

There is an ongoing investigation looking into possible vehicles on the bridge at the time of the collapse, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said at Tuesday's news conference.

He added that what he could confirm is that the quick work of authorities in closing the bridge had saved lives.

4:07 p.m. ET, March 26, 2024

6 people remain missing, Maryland governor says

From CNN's Maureen Chowdhury

Six people remain missing following the Baltimore bridge collapse during a news conference on Tuesday, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said at a news conference Tuesday.

Moore said search and rescue efforts continue and that there is no new information.

3:57 p.m. ET, March 26, 2024

"Path to normalcy will not be easy," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says about rebuilding

From CNN's Rachel Ramirez

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg speaks during a press conference in Baltimore on Tuesday. CNN

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the road to recovery and rebuilding in the wake of the bridge collapse will "not be quick" and it will certainly be costly. "But we will rebuild," he noted.

Buttigieg reaffirmed President Biden's earlier commitment that the federal government will provide all the support and resources needed to rebuild.

"This is no ordinary bridge," Buttigieg said. "It has been part of the skyline of this region for longer than many of us have been alive, so the path to normalcy will not be easy."

4:02 p.m. ET, March 26, 2024

Buttigieg calls Baltimore bridge collapse "a unique circumstance"

From CNN's Tori B. Powell

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called the Baltimore bridge collapse "a unique circumstance."

"I do not know of a bridge that has been constructed to withstand a direct impact from a vessel of this size," he said Tuesday at a news conference

He said the country will take the situation and learn from it.

3:53 p.m. ET, March 26, 2024

"This is an excruciating day for several families," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg acknowledged the families affected by the collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge.

"We should also recognize that this is an excruciating day for several families who went to bed last night having it be a normal night and woke up today to news that no one wants to receive," he said at a press briefing Tuesday afternoon.

"They are hoping and praying and we are hoping and praying with them. We are all putting our arms around the community of Baltimore and that is true for all of this country," he added.

4:03 p.m. ET, March 26, 2024

Air, land and sea resources deployed in search and rescue mission, governor says

From CNN's Elise Hammond

Maryland state troopers patrol at the scene after the cargo ship Dali ran into and collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday in Baltimore. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Air, land and sea resources are all being deployed to assist in the search and rescue efforts after a Baltimore bridge collapsed early Tuesday, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.

"There is not a single resource that we will hold off on deploying," the governor said.

He said he wants to make sure the operation is carried out “to its fullest intent.”

“This will not be short, there’s going to be a long road,” Moore said. “There's going to be a long road, not just as we go from search and rescue. There will be a long road as we talk about what does the future of this region, the future of the area looked like.“

3:54 p.m. ET, March 26, 2024

Maryland senator says reopening channel is critical to state's economy

From CNN's Maureen Chowdhury

Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin speaks during a press conference in Baltimore on Tuesday. CNN

Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin said that reopening the Patapsco River channel is critical to the state's economy.

"It affects many, many jobs. It affects not only jobs here in Maryland, but around the country and world. So our next priority is make sure we get that channel opened and then we also need to fix and replace the bridge for the surface transportation," Cardin said during a news conference Tuesday.

3:48 p.m. ET, March 26, 2024

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore thanks community for making sure first responders are fed

From CNN's Rachel Ramirez

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Tuesday afternoon thanked the members of the philanthropic community and the private sector who have been reaching out and offering support, especially those who have stepped in to provide meals for first responders.

"Everybody has raised their hands to serve, and I can tell you, it is so deeply appreciated," Moore said. "It's so deeply felt, and for everyone who was offering prayers and support, I can tell you those prayers are working and we are grateful."