Fourth body recovered following Key Bridge collapse; FBI opens formal criminal investigation into ship that caused the destruction
On April 15, the recovery of the fourth victim’s body from the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore marked a somber milestone in the aftermath of that catastrophic event. Six men working on the bridge lost their lives on March 26 in the dramatic collapse of that iconic span. The body of the fourth victim was discovered trapped inside a construction vehicle, according to the unified command group in charge of recovery.
“The identity of the deceased was not released by authorities at the request of family.” Two of the six victims’ bodies have yet to be recovered as recovery efforts continue in the Patapsco River.
The Key Bridge, which crashed down nearly three weeks ago after the cargo ship Dali reportedly malfunctioned with electrical problems and struck a bridge support column has been the focus of intense recovery efforts and investigations since the very day of the collapse, according to CBS News in Baltimore. The recovery of the fourth victim brings a small measure of closure to the families involved; yet it also serves to underscore the human cost of the disaster. The bridge collapse claimed the lives of six construction workers who were on the bridge when it went down. The workers were filling potholes and conducting routine maintenance.
The collapse, which occurred in the early morning hours of March 26 has resulted in far-reaching impacts, not only for the families of those victims that died in the collapse – but also on the Port of Baltimore’s businesses and the city’s economic and physical infrastructure.
The other big update associated with the Key Bridge demise is that the FBI has since opened a federal criminal investigation into the incident, probing the circumstances that led to the container ship crashing into one of the bridge’s support pillars. FBI agents were on board the Dali yesterday, searching through the ship that caused the destruction, conducting “court-authorized law enforcement activity regarding the crash.”
The [FBI] investigation into the collapse will focus in part on whether the crew of the Dali left the port knowing the freighter had serious problems with its systems. The city of Baltimore said on Monday it hired two law firms – DiCello Levitt and Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky Trial Lawyers – as it considered litigation against the owner, charterer and operator of the ship. ~ Reuters
Related, also see:
- First vessel passes through temporary channel carved out by Key Bridge Response Unified Command
- Officials will enforce ‘no drone zone’ extending for three miles around Key Bridge
- FBI on Key Bridge destruction: ‘No information to suggest ties to terrorism at this time’
- Shocking video: Entire span of Baltimore’s ‘Key Bridge’ collapses into the river below after being struck by cargo ship
For more on the recovery of the fourth body recovered from the Patapsco River yesterday and the recently announced FBI criminal investigation into the bridge’s collapse, see the video below.
–
(Cover photo of cargo ship Dali, Image credit: NBC News / Twitter)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
Follow Richard on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram
