As measures are taken to clean and remove debris from the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, new images show the remains of the bridge at the bottom of the Patapsco River.
Sonar images provided by the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Dive and Salvage Surveillance (SUPSALV) and released by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, “show the wreck located on the river bottom where the Francis Scott Key was located.
According to the Department, the bridge once stood, but visibility was “only 1 to 2 feet blurred due to 4 to 5 feet of mud and the soft bottom of the Patapsco River.
The Department said The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed on March 26 after a large cargo ship crashed into it, causing the bridge to collapse into the Patapsco River and killing six pothole repair workers.
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The accident also blocked the entrance to Port Baltimore, an important shipping port. U.S.A.C.E. Baltimore explains that divers working on the bridge conduct their activities “in virtual darkness because, when illuminated, their visibility is similar to driving at night in deep snow with the headlights on high.
They also received detailed verbal instructions from nearby vessel operators, who viewed real-time footage. There is no usable underwater video of the wreck because, as a Navy statement diver, ‘you don’t need to videotape anything you can’ “even see anymore,” the department said.
Recovery efforts began Sunday evening Sunday as the first bulk of debris was removed from the landfill, blocking the entrance to the Port of Baltimore. A crane lifted a 200-ton piece of the bridge, but Democratic Gov. Wes Moore said thousands of tons of debris remained left in the river and above the ship.
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About 1,100 members of the Army Corps of Engineers, along with highly specialized equipment, were deployed to clear debris and reopen the nation’s largest vehicle-handling port.
According to a senior US official, the keel of the stricken commercial ship Dali also lies in sediment at the bottom of Baltimore Harbor, weighed down by part of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, complicating efforts to clear the area.
A massive underwater wreck of a steel and concrete ship has been discovered in the Port of Baltimore, Maryland, giving engineers a monumental task to tackle.
Steel twists and divers must navigate currents, limited visibility, cold water, and sharp debris.
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The bottom of the canal had to be cleared of debris, as ships like the Dali did not clear the bottom more than two feet when loaded with cargo. Governor Moore expressed the urgency of the situation, saying the cleanup not only concerns Maryland but also concerns the nation’s economy.
The Biden Administration approved an initial $60 million request for the cleanup. In addition, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced President Joe Biden’s visit.
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