They recovered the body of the last missing worker after the Baltimore bridge collapsed

The body of the last construction worker Missing people who died in the bridge collapse Francis Scott Key The relics were recovered from Baltimore in March, officials announced Tuesday, as demolition crews prepared to use explosives in ongoing cleanup efforts.

Officials said Daly’s crew will remain on board the stuck container ship while the crew conducts a controlled demolition operation to remove the largest remaining area of ​​the collapsed bridge.

The steel support on the bow of the ship fell after Daly lost its strength and collided with one of the bridge’s support columns on March 26. The ship has since been trapped under rubble and the busy Port of Baltimore has been closed to most shipping traffic.

Six construction workers died in the collapse. the body Jose Minor LopezThe authorities said in a statement that night that the 37-year-old was recovered on Tuesday. The victims were all Latino immigrants who worked night shifts filling potholes on the bridge. Police officers were able to stop traffic moments before the collapse, but… They did not have enough time to alert the workers.

Lopez moved to the United States from Guatemala. During a vigil last month to honor victims whose families are still waiting for the prison to close, mourners used a crane to raise the Guatemalan flag in their memory.

Authorities said rescue divers found his body and notified state authorities.

“With a heavy heart, today marks an important milestone in our recovery efforts and provides closure for the loved ones of the six workers who lost their lives in this tragic event,” Maryland State Police Col. Superintendent said. Roland Butler JrIt’s a statement.

The controlled demolition, expected to take place in the coming days, will allow the Daly to be refloated and returned to Baltimore Harbor, officials said. Once the ship is removed, marine traffic can begin to return to normalwhich will provide relief to thousands of longshoremen, truck drivers and small business owners whose jobs have been affected by the closure.

Officials previously said they hoped to remove Daly by May 10 and reopen the port’s 50-foot-long (15.2-meter) main channel by the end of May.

Bosson said Daly’s crew of 21 would take refuge on the ship while detonating the explosives Ronald Hodges From the Coast Guard.

Engineers have been working for weeks to determine the best way to remove this last major piece of the collapsed bridge. The explosives will make him fall into the water. A massive hydraulic device will then lift the resulting steel sections onto the barges.

Video footage released by Coast Guard officials last week showed entire sections of the road on the ship’s deck.

Hodges said so Crew safety was a major concern As officials considered whether they should remain on board the ship during the demolition process. Engineers use precision cuts to control how beams break, he said.

“The last thing anyone wants is for something to happen to crew members,” Hodges said.

They have not been allowed to leave Dali since the disaster. Officials said they were busy maintaining the ship and assisting investigators. Among the crew members are 20 from India and one from Sri Lanka.

A crew spokesman did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Tuesday afternoon.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the FBI are enforcing this order Investigations into the bridge collapse.

Danish shipping giant Maersk He chartered Daly for a planned voyage from Baltimore to Sri Lanka, but the ship did not make it far. Its crew sent out an emergency call saying they had lost power and no longer had control of the steering system. Minutes later, the ship collided with the bridge.

The safety board’s investigation will focus on the ship’s electrical system, including whether it experienced power problems before leaving Baltimore, officials said.

Maryland leaders said last week they plan to rebuild the bridge by fall 2028.

(With information from AP)