The Coast Guard said the ship that crashed into the Baltimore bridge had undergone “routine engine maintenance” in port beforehand.
U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said at a news conference Wednesday that authorities were informed the ship was scheduled to undergo routine engine maintenance before losing power. But he said authorities had not been made aware of any problems.
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Two bodies found at bridge collapse site, authorities say
Maryland State Police Superintendent Col. Roland L. Butler Jr. announced that two bodies have been found at the scene of a Baltimore bridge that collapsed into the river after being struck by a boat early Tuesday morning.
Butler announced Wednesday that a 35-year-old man and a 26-year-old man and woman were rescued from a red pickup truck in the Patapsco River near the halfway point of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Butler said the six construction workers missing and presumed dead were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.
Gov. Wes Moore told the families of the victims, “Estamos contigo, ahora y siempre,” which means “we are and always will be with you,” in Spanish.
Maryland governor investigates damage situation in detail
Maryland Governor Wes Moore is taking a closer look at the aftermath of the Baltimore bridge collapse.
Moore joined federal and local officials aboard a Coast Guard vessel Wednesday to better understand the path the vessel took and how it crashed, the governor's office said. His office said his goal was to assist the Coast Guard and other federal partners, thank first responders and learn more about what happened.
Brother says missing construction worker was 'always happy'
One of the construction workers presumed dead in Baltimore was a 38-year-old father of two who dreamed of one day returning to his native Honduras, his brother said.
Carlos Suazo said his brother, Mainor Suazo, had been in the United States for 18 years, but “always dreamed of a quiet retirement in Honduras in his old age.” He describes himself as the beloved youngest brother of four girls and four boys.
“He was always happy, always thinking about the future. He was a visionary,” says Carlos Suazo.
The last time he spoke to his brother was Sunday over lunch to discuss plans for the family's birthday party.
He says the family has not lost hope that his brother will be found alive.
Buttigieg calls for bipartisan support for Baltimore funding
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Wednesday it was too early to say whether there would be a waiver from regulations to rebuild bridges and reopen ports.
But he said President Joe Biden has said the federal government should “remove all bureaucratic and financial barriers” that could affect the recovery timeline.
Buttigieg also had a message for Republicans in Congress who may oppose forcing the federal government to pay for the bill. Infrastructure should be a bipartisan issue, he said.
Buttigieg gives no timeline for replacing bridges or reopening ports
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said it's too early to say how long it will take to reopen the Port of Baltimore or replace the destroyed bridge.
Buttigieg said at a White House press briefing Wednesday that the bridge took five years to build.
“That doesn't necessarily mean it's going to take five years to replace,” he said.
Coast Guard Vice Adm. Peter Gauthier said the hazardous materials on board the damaged vessel did not pose a threat to public safety.
Gauthier told a news conference that the ship had more than 1.5 million gallons of fuel on board and more than 50 cargo containers on board contained hazardous materials. But he said the ship was stable and authorities determined there was no safety risk.
“There is no threat to the public,” he said.
Singapore plans its own investigation
Singaporean officials said they would not only assist U.S. authorities but also conduct their own investigation into the bridge collapse.
The ship “Dali'' that collided with the bridge was flying the Singaporean flag. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said on Wednesday that it was working with the ship's management company, Synergy Marine Group, to obtain information for the US Coast Guard investigation.
Problems with ship's fuel heater pressure gauge in 2023
The ship's inspection at a Chilean port in 2023 revealed a problem with the fuel heater pressure gauge, which was fixed before it left port, Chile's Naval Maritime Administration said.
According to shipping information website Equasis, previous reports said an inspection of the Dali in Chile in June found problems with the ship's “propulsion system and auxiliary machinery,” but records show No details are provided.
The Chilean Navy said in a statement Wednesday that the ship underwent an inspection in the port of San Antonio on June 27, 2023, and the fuel heater pressure gauge was “detected to be unreadable.”
The Chilean Navy said the issue was resolved the same day and the ship was able to set sail.
Equasis said Dali was most recently inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard in New York in September 2023, and no defects were detected.
