Bridge Collapse Investigation

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers staff onboard Hydrographic Survey Vessel CATLETT observe the damage resulting from the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, March 26, 2024. In accordance with USACE’s federal authorities, USACE will lead the effort to clear the channel as part of the larger interagency recovery effort to restore operations at the Port of Baltimore.

Divers recovered the bodies of two migrant workers who were filling in potholes on Baltimore's Key Bridge Tuesday when it collapsed, with four others still missing. The two were found inside a truck 25 feet beneath the water's surface. The discovery came as federal investigators began piecing together a more detailed timeline of the incident after retrieving the Dali container ship's data recorder. 

Early analysis suggests the 100,000-ton freighter lost power—possibly due to clogged engine filters from tainted fuel—and drifted at roughly 9 miles per hour into the bridge's support column (watch expert analysis). The latest inspection of the ship in September identified no deficiencies, though a June check in Chile flagged issues with its propulsive machinery. In 2016, the vessel was repaired after hitting a wall in a Belgium port.

The timeline for reconstruction is unclear, and Maryland lawmakers announced legislation to provide income support to the port's 15,000 workers. 

Officials said police had 90 seconds to clear (w/video) the bridge of traffic after receiving a mayday signal from the ship.