The U.S. Coast Guard boarded the ship that caused the collapse on Wednesday to further investigate the incident.

Article by Dean Millard, Senior White House Correspondent

BALTIMORE - Following the Coast Guard’s recent investigation, two bodies were found in a truck following Tuesday’s collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland. 

After a large cargo ship lost power and its pilot lost steering control, the ship crashed into one of the bridge’s columns. Video footage shows the ship’s lights going out twice before hitting the bridge. 

Retrieved audio data reveals the pilot giving orders to avoid running into the bridge. At one point, the pilot frantically issued steering commands to the crew. The audio also captured the captain requesting a drop of the anchor and assistance from tugboats. 

The ship struck the bridge during construction around 1:30 a.m. The two victims found in the truck were construction workers, recently identified as Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera. 

The four other construction workers on the bridge during the collapse are presumed dead. Submerged vehicles have been trapped in debris, making the search for additional bodies unsafe for divers. Therefore, this search has been paused. 

Workers were repairing potholes when the crash occurred. Police only had around 90 seconds to stop bridge traffic upon their arrival. 

In the meantime, salvage operations will work to clear the debris so divers can continue their search. According to AP News, it is important to expedite this process: “Baltimore is a busy entry point for vehicles made in Germany, Mexico, Japan and the United Kingdom, along with coal and farm equipment.” 

Fortunately, the pilot’s warnings to officials stopped bridge traffic. These orders significantly reduced the volume of traffic on the bridge around the time of the collision. 

The bridge collapse has a negative economic impact on the city. The incident caused the closure of the Baltimore port, one of the largest ports in the United States. Government officials anticipate the closure being detrimental to the city’s economy and the nation’s supply chain. 

The ship remains at the crash site, with massive damage to the bridge. There are still 4,700 containers on the ship, and 56 contain hazardous materials. “A team from the National Transportation Safety Board boarded the ship Tuesday night and Wednesday to gather evidence for their investigation,” CNN reports. 

In addition to the crashed ship, ten other ships are stuck inside the port. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said there is no estimated time for the reopening of the Patapsco River.  

“We’re going to send all the federal resources they need as we respond to this emergency, and I mean all the federal resources,” President Joe Biden said. “And we’re going to rebuild that port together.” 

For commuters, the bridge closure will be disruptive, as the bridge carries around 30,000 vehicles each day. A timeline to rebuild the bridge has not yet been announced. American consumers should expect shipping delays due to the incident’s resulting closures.