Federal government gives Maryland first $60 million toward Key Bridge recovery
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March 28, 2024 - Baltimore Key Bridge collapse

By Antoinette Radford, Maureen Chowdhury, Tori B. Powell, Elise Hammond and Aditi Sangal, CNN

Updated 12:00 a.m. ET, March 29, 2024
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6:20 p.m. ET, March 28, 2024

Federal government gives Maryland first $60 million toward Key Bridge recovery

From CNN's Greg Wallace

The federal government has given Maryland officials the $60 million requested to cover the first steps of responding to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, according to a Federal Highway Administration news release.

Federal transportation officials said Thursday that Maryland Gov. Wes Moore requested the money as a “down payment” toward cleaning up and rebuilding the bridge, the release said. 

Federal Highway Administration chief Shailen Bhatt said the emergency funding would go toward removing debris, rerouting traffic, and ultimately rebuilding the bridge.

The state can later request additional funding. The state’s congressional delegation said they would press fellow lawmakers to fund the rebuilding project.  

5:00 p.m. ET, March 28, 2024

Unified Command pauses dive and vehicle recovery, but will monitor for environmental impact at collapse site

From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch and Holmes Lybrand

Dive operations and vehicle recovery have been paused at the Key Bridge collapse site due to the submerged wreckage and debris causing hazardous conditions, according to a Unified Command news release.  

The Unified Command established a 2000-yard Safety Zone for the M/V Dali recovery efforts, a statement released Thursday from Unified Command read, adding that on-scene crews continue to assess and monitor for spilled oils and hazardous substances. 

“The Unified Command is addressing environmental concerns with response teams conducting visual inspections of water quality and collecting samples for testing," the release read.  

Of the 56 containers on the vessel that contained hazardous materials, 13 were impacted and assessed by an industrial hygienist for potential hazards.

According to the statement, the Unified Command found soap products, perfume products or not otherwise specified resin. No volatile organic compounds or flammable vapors have been found around the ship as air monitoring continues around it, the release added.

The Unified Command includes the US Coast Guard, US Army Corps of Engineers, Maryland Department of Environment, Maryland Transpiration Authority, emergency management company Witt O'Brien’s and Maryland State Police. 

5:23 p.m. ET, March 28, 2024

Investigators of Baltimore bridge collapse provide timeline of crash

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

Cargo ship Dali is seen after running into and collapsing the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, in Baltimore, Maryland.
Cargo ship Dali is seen after running into and collapsing the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, in Baltimore, Maryland. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

Marcel Muise, the National Transportation Safety Board investigator in charge, on Wednesday provided the following timeline of events based on the recovered voyage data recorder (VDR).

  • Approximately 12:39 a.m. ET: The ship departed from Seagirt Marine Terminal.
  • By 1:07 a.m.: The ship had entered the Fort McHenry Channel.
  • 1:24:59 a.m.: Numerous audible alarms were recorded on the ship's bridge audio. At about the same time, VDR sensor data ceased recording. The VDR audio continued to record using the redundant power source, Muise said.
  • 1:26:02 a.m.: VDR resumed recording sensor data and during this time, steering commands and rudder orders were recorded on the audio.
  • 1:26:39 a.m.: The ship's pilot made a general very high frequency (VHF) radio call for nearby tugs to assist. At about this time, Muise said, the pilot association dispatcher phoned the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) duty officer regarding the blackout.
  • Around 1:27:04 a.m.: The pilot ordered the Dali to drop the port anchor and ordered additional steering commands.
  • Around 1:27:25 a.m.: The pilot issued a radio call over the VHF radio, reporting that the Dali had lost all power and was approaching the bridge. Around this time, the MDTA data shows the following also occurred: Their duty officer radioed two of their units on scene due to construction on the bridge — one on each side of the bridge — and ordered them to close traffic on the bridge. All lanes were then shut down by MDTA.
  • Around 1:29 a.m.: The ship's speed over ground was recorded at just under 8 miles per hour. At about 1:29:33, the VDR audio recorded sounds consistent with the collision of the bridge. Additionally, around this time, MDTA dash cameras show the bridge lights extinguishing.
  • 1:29:39 a.m.: The pilot reported the bridge down over the VFH radio to the Coast Guard.

4:25 p.m. ET, March 28, 2024

Get caught up: What we know as salvage operation at Baltimore bridge collapse site is underway

From CNN staff

Authorities in Maryland are starting salvage operations on Wednesday after a cargo ship collided with Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge earlier this week.

Six people are presumed dead after the bridge collapsed. Officials found two bodies during the last of search and recovery operations on Tuesday, according to the state police.

Here's what we know:

  • The victims: The six people presumed dead were from Mexico Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. The bodies of Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, who immigrated to the US from Mexico, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, originally from Guatemala, have been recovered. The two workers, who were filling potholes on the bridge when it collapsed, were later found trapped in a red pickup truck in about 25 feet of water.
  • Recovery efforts: Authorities are pausing search efforts for the four other workers presumed dead, because vehicles are encased in concrete and other debris have made it unsafe for divers. Once salvage operations clear the debris, divers will search for more remains.
  • Next steps: The US Navy’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving has been tapped to lead the salvage operations and remove submerged parts of the bridge, a spokesperson said. More than 1,000 US Army Corps of Engineers personnel were also activated to help clear the critical shipping channel where the bridge collapsed. The first step in that process is to get the steel truss, or steel pieces of the bridge, out. The White House said a heavy lift crane vessel will arrive later Thursday to help clear debris, senior adviser Tom Perez said.
  • Investigation: The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the probe into the fatal incident. The NTSB started interviewing the 21 crew members and two pilots on board the ship and collected documents and other evidence, according to the company that managed the vessel, Synergy Marine Group. The investigation could take 12 to 24 months to complete, the NTSB chair said.
  • Rebuilding: Maryland officials are assessing how much it will cost to rebuild the bridge, Sen. Chris Van Hollen said, adding that 90% of funding will be covered by the Federal Highway Administration's emergency fund. The state's Department of Transportation has already requested $60 million in federal funding to clean up the wreckage. The incident will also likely lead to billions of dollars in liability claims. Marine insurance companies will be on the hook for much of the costs.
  • Economic impacts: Dozens of vessels are still scheduled to arrive at the Port of Baltimore as of Thursday morning, according to maritime AI company Windward. Other ports in the area are stepping in. The governors of New York and New Jersey said the Port Authority can take on additional cargo to try to minimize supply chain disruptions.
  • Reaction: The Baltimore Orioles held a moment of science for the bridge workers at their season opener Thursday afternoon. Synergy Marine Group also extended its "deepest sympathies" to the families of the two people whose bodies were found.

4:05 p.m. ET, March 28, 2024

Cafe raises $25,000 for employee who says her husband is among the missing in bridge collapse

From CNN’s Jillian Sykes and Maria Santana

Jose Mynor Lopez
Jose Mynor Lopez From Jose Lopez

A small family business is rallying behind one of its employees, Isabel Franco, who says her husband, Jose Mynor Lopez, went missing after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed on Tuesday.

The Owls Corner Café, located in Dundalk, Maryland, started a GoFundMe for Franco and her family after officials called off the rescue mission and said the missing people were presumed dead, according to owner Lilly Ordonez. The page reached its goal of $25,000 in less than a day, she added.

The organizers of the page plan on distributing additional funds raised to other families impacted by the tragedy. The café will be closed for the rest of the week out of respect for Lopez and his family.

“Jose was a great man, husband and dad,” Ordonez told CNN on Wednesday. “An extremely hard-working individual, a great provider and family man.” 

Ordonez said she is very close to the family and that Franco is in a state of shock. “She’s barely sleeping or eating. She’s by the phone waiting for news,” she said.

Lopez’s two young children don’t understand what’s going on, but his 17-year-old daughter is acting as a great support system for her mother, Ordonez told CNN.

CNN has reached out to local authorities to confirm Lopez is among the missing.

CNN’s Caroll Alvarado contributed to this report.

5:47 p.m. ET, March 28, 2024

Baltimore Orioles hold moment of silence to honor bridge collapse victims

From CNN's Homero DeLaFuente

Baltimore Orioles players observe a moment of silence at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Thursday prior to the game against the Los Angeles Angels in honor of the victims of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore.
Baltimore Orioles players observe a moment of silence at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Thursday prior to the game against the Los Angeles Angels in honor of the victims of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore. Mitch Stringer/USA Today Sports

The Baltimore Orioles honored victims of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse before the team’s season opening game against the Los Angeles Angels at Oriole Park on Thursday. 

The Orioles held a moment of silence to honor victims, first responders and those impacted by the fatal incident. 

The television broadcast showed fans, players, and others bowing their heads with hats off in a short moment of reflection.

Meanwhile, the Morgan State University Choir performed a rendition of the national anthem. The Orioles lowered an American flag from the batter’s eye section of the stadium during the anthem. 

According to MLB, “The flag is a replica of the one that flew over Fort McHenry when Francis Scott Key wrote the 'Star-Spangled Banner.'”

A previously scheduled workout and rally that had been planned for Tuesday was canceled in wake of the bridge collapse. 

3:05 p.m. ET, March 28, 2024

Hispanic immigrants face a higher risk of workplace death in the US, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics

From CNN's Krystina Shveda

Immigrant Hispanic workers face a disproportionate risk of occupational death in the United States, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures — and the death rate is rising.

Foreign-born Hispanic or Latino workers made up 8% of the employed US workforce in 2021 but 14% of the work-related deaths, data shows. The six construction workers found dead or presumed dead from the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse were all of Hispanic origin, from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.

Data shows nearly half of foreign-born employees in the United States — more than 12.5 million people — were Hispanic in 2021, including legal and undocumented immigrants, refugees, and temporary workers. And while this group’s working population increased 17% over a 10-year period, the occupational death among them grew 42%.

3:04 p.m. ET, March 28, 2024

Brawner worker says he requested last-minute shift change on night of bridge collapse

From CNN's Gloria Pazmino 

On the night of the Baltimore bridge collapse, a worker with Brawner Builders requested a last-minute shift change, which he says saved his life.

Moises Diaz told CNN via text he worked with all of the victims of the bridge collapse and that they would have likely been on their break at the time of impact early Tuesday morning. 

Some background: Brawner Builders Executive Vice President Jeffrey Pritzker told CNN seven employees were on the bridge and just one survived.

“These were wonderful young men. They were doing a tough job. These guys were hardworking wonderful people and now they’re gone,” Pritzker said.
2:49 p.m. ET, March 28, 2024

US Navy Salvage and Diving unit assisting in Baltimore bridge salvage operations

From CNN’s Haley Britzky

The US Navy’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV) is currently serving as the lead for salvage operations for the Francis Scott Key Bridge, a spokesperson said on Thursday. 

"The team is currently in the process of mobilizing a 1000-ton lift capacity derrick barge, 400-ton lift capacity revolving crane barge, and 160T revolving crane as well as support vessels,” the spokesperson said. "SUPSALV will work with its contracted support to salvage and remove submerged portions of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.'

The spokesperson also said that the Navy provided a MH-60S Seahawk from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, and "one small boat" from the Navy Reserve Center Baltimore, on March 26, in the search and rescue efforts after the bridge’s collapse.