The body of a Baltimore Key Bridge victim has been recovered 10 days after the collapse. The third body was removed from the Patapsco because three more deaths are believed to have occurred.
Construction worker Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval, 38, was one of six people killed when a cargo ship crashed into the bridge in early March – sparking a frantic rescue effort to find those affected.
The father of two was pulled from the river days after the body of 36-year-old Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes was found by divers on March 27 in a red pickup truck that had sunk 25 feet into the icy water.
A father of four himself, his body was found next to that of Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, after the three workers plunged to their deaths the day before, after the DALI shipping container crashed into the bridge, causing it to collapse.
Suazo-Sandoval’s recovery took place on the same day that President Joe Biden visited the site of the collapse to thank first responders for their continued efforts as the bodies of three of the six-member team remain lost.
Construction worker Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval, 38, was one of six people killed when a cargo ship crashed into the bridge in early March.
The father-of-two was pulled from the river days after the bodies of 36-year-old Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes (left) and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera were found by divers on March 27.
“They were hard workers who worked in the middle of the night to repair potholes in a bridge that tens of thousands of travelers crossed every day,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a briefing the day before.
Biden added Friday, “Your nation stands with you,” speaking to the people of Baltimore as he vowed to rebuild the iconic bridge while renewing his call to make the Republican Party-dominated House pay for it.
The president then told the story of the closing message of the six construction workers who died in the collapse and whose bodies are still missing: 24-year-old Latino immigrant Carlos Hernández.
During the speech – delivered in front of the water where the bridge once stood – Biden recounted how Carlos had left a message for his girlfriend on the day of the disaster, saying their shift was almost over and they were just waiting for the cement that they needed. was left to dry.
Biden, in turn, vowed to find the bodies of still-missing workers and not rest until the cement on a new bridge dries, telling attendees, “We will continue to work hard to find them all.”
“My vow is that we will not rest, as Carlos said, until the cement dries and the whole new bridge (is) built.”
Within hours, Suazo-Sandoval’s body was found while Biden was scheduled to meet with family members of loved ones who have died.
Suazo-Sandoval’s recovery occurred the same day President Joe Biden visited the site of the collapse to thank first responders for their continued efforts.
The destruction at the site of the collapse, which occurred when the powerless cargo ship rammed it last week, is enormous
Stunning footage shows the moment the ship plowed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, sending the colossal steel structure plunging into the Patapsco River.
The wreck of the Francis Scott Key Bridge
That said, three of the men – including father-of-five Miguel Luna, an unnamed 35-year-old from Camotán, Chiquimula, in Guatemala, and a worker from Mexico – each remain missing.
Col. Roland L. Butler Jr., superintendent of the Maryland Department of State Police, said in a statement Friday: “There are still families waiting to hear if we have found their loved one.
“I can promise you that we are fully committed to finding closure for each of these families.”
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott later added how the third victim’s recovery “brings us one step closer to closure,” though he added that his “heart remains with all the families still anxiously awaiting their loved ones .’
The Democrat, who on the day of the collapse chided reporters for asking about a replacement bridge in place of the lives lost, told citizens: “I am grateful for the first responders who have continued to focus on recovering the remaining victims and have continued their work to clear the canal. with greatest care.
“We will continue to do everything in our power to support these families and provide everything they need to get through this unthinkable tragedy.”
President Joe Biden flies over the wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Marine One
President Biden’s motorcade moves past the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge
Cranes are already making repairs
The disaster was caused by a container ship hitting the historic viaduct, bringing it to an abrupt end after some 47 years. Formerly the Francis Scott Key Bridge, it was the third longest crossing of its kind.
Standing 4,000 feet tall, it was named after the author of The Star-Spangled Banner, due to the fact that it was about 350 feet from where Francis Scott Key saw the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814 – the battle that marked the inspired the patriotic poem.
The last inspection took place in May 2021, which found that the vehicle – despite being held up by only three support beams – was in fair condition.
After the September 11 terrorist attacks, city officials opted not to install pier guards around those beams, calling the undertaking too expensive. A boat hit one of those beams Friday evening, causing it to collapse and obliterating the structure in seconds.
However, its history endures and leaves a lasting legacy.