Six construction workers missing in Baltimore bridge collapse are all presumed dead, Coast Guard says as rescue efforts are called off hours after first body was pulled from freezing water

Six missing construction workers who fell into the river when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed are presumed dead as the Coast Guard calls in the search.

The Coast Guard is ending its active search and rescue mission for the missing workers who fell from the Francis Scott Key Bridge when a cargo ship crashed into it Tuesday morning.

Vice Adm. Shannon Gilreath said that based on the length of time since the bridge collapsed and the frigid water temperatures, “we do not believe we will find these individuals alive.”

This comes after a body was found during a search earlier on Tuesday. “We’re hearing that one body has been found,” said Baltimore City Councilwoman Phylicia Porter CNN.

No further details have been released about the body and police have not released the name of the person.

Two people were pulled from the icy Patapsco River after the collapse before the body was discovered, according to the Baltimore fire chief.

One of the individuals was in “very serious condition” and was rushed to a local trauma center, the chief said.

The other of the two withdrawn individuals was not injured.

Footage shows rescue teams searching the Patapsco River in the aftermath of the bridge collapse, which left vehicles submerged and workers missing.

Teams are seen inspecting the Singapore-flagged Dali after it collided with the bridge on Tuesday morning.

Remnants of the 2.6-mile bridge can be seen in the bow of the ship as teams point flashlights at the murky waters as they search for those missing in the disaster.

There are currently five vehicles submerged in the river. Six construction workers are still missing who had been working on the bridge when it collapsed.

Maryland authorities are using sonar to search for people who fell into 47F water while they were repairing holes in the 180-foot bridge when it collapsed.

Officials have since said that thanks to infrared and side-scan sonar technology, they spotted five vehicles underwater: three passenger vehicles, a cement truck and a fifth vehicle.

Governor Wes Moore declared a state of emergency Tuesday morning after the catastrophic collision, which occurred around 1:30 a.m.

The ship had been underway for twenty minutes when it collided with a support column on the bridge.

The Democrat said the ship’s crew managed to issue a “mayday” before it crashed into the bridge, allowing officials to prevent cars from entering the bridge.

“We are grateful that between the Mayday and the collapse – that we had officials who were able – to begin to stop the flow of traffic so that there were no more cars on the bridge,” Moore added .

Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld said eight people were on the bridge when it collapsed, and two of them were rescued from the water, with one refusing medical treatment and the other taken to the hospital.

Wiedefeld said, “We know that at the time of the collapse there were individuals on the bridge working on the bridge, contractors for us.”

He said workers were “basically making repairs to the concrete deck” but did not know how many vehicles were involved.

Doctors told DailyMail.com that those on the bridge suffered a painful fall that would feel like ‘hitting concrete’ and would lead to serious injuries such as broken bones and a ruptured heart, with a slim chance of survival.

Once in the 47-degree water, hypothermia set in, causing hyperventilation, loss of motor control, confusion and organ failure, all within three minutes.

Those in cars had only two minutes to escape before drowning.

President Joe Biden said on X: “This morning I convened senior members of my team for a briefing on the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

“I have directed my administration to ensure that all federal resources are available to support the search and rescue efforts and response to this terrible incident.”

The president announced that the government would pay the full cost of replacing the bridge and insisted it was an accident.

Video shows the ship going dark seconds before the collision, indicating there was a power outage on board.

It’s still unclear why the cargo ship crashed into the Key Bridge well before the morning commute, or how many people might be in the waters of the busy harbor near a major port.

Initial reports indicated a loss of propulsion or power on board just before the collision.

Rescuers pulled two people from the water mid-morning and searched for more. One was uninjured while the other suffered injuries, officials said.

FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Baltimore Office William DelBagno said that “there is no specific or credible information indicating this incident has ties to terrorism.”

The collapse is sure to create a logistical nightmare for the East Coast for months, if not years, shutting down ship traffic at the Port of Baltimore and reducing freight and commuter traffic.

According to The Baltimore Sun, the Dali set out on a particularly long 28-day voyage because the crew wanted to bypass South Africa to avoid the Red Sea, where Yemeni Houthi rebels have attacked Western ships to protest the war in Gaza.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott has asked the media to stop using the video showing the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsing.

Speaking to CNN, Mayor Scott told the station: “I will be the first to ask CNN and everyone else to stop showing the video.

“No one has to face the possibility of their family member being seriously injured or otherwise injured over and over again. It just traumatizes our community.”

The ship crashed into one of the bridge’s supports, causing the structure to fall apart like a toy.

It fell into the water almost immediately – a shocking sight that was captured on video and posted to social media. The barrel caught fire and thick, black smoke came out.

“Never would you think you would see the Key Bridge like this, physically seeing it, collapsing. “It was like something out of an action movie,” Mayor Scott said earlier, calling it “an unthinkable tragedy.”