A giant crane will be deployed this Thursday (March 28) in Baltimore, in the eastern United States, as part of efforts to remove debris from the collapsed bridge, and authorities warn that the reopening of the port, important for the US economy , it could take a long time.
Speaking to CNN, one expert spoke of a possible partial reopening as early as May if the government decided to clear some of the debris to allow ships to pass through.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge, used every day by tens of thousands of vehicles, collapsed like a house of cards on Tuesday after being hit by a container ship, blocking the entrance to the Port of Baltimore. The bodies of two of the six missing workers were found on Wednesday.
Significant difficulties
“We are moving heaven and earth” to get the port operational again, said White House adviser Tom Perez. “A large capacity crane ship will be on site during the day to help collect the debris,” he added in an interview with the US network MSNBC.
The authorities, however, warned that the difficulties were significant, as the search for the bodies of the four missing was interrupted on Wednesday night, as the authorities considered it too dangerous to send divers to the accident site.
The four men, all Latin American immigrants, are believed to have died after the Dali, a 300 meter long and 48 meter wide container ship, crashed into a bridge pier due to propulsion problems.
These men were part of a team of eight workers who worked at night to repair the road. Two of them were rescued shortly after the bridge collapsed.
“A very long road to go”
Area residents participated in a vigil in a nearby park Thursday morning, local media reported, while Baltimore City Council launched a fundraiser to support the victims’ families.
As for reconstruction, “it will not take hours, or days, or weeks,” also warned Wes Moore, governor of the state of Maryland, where Baltimore is located, referring to “a very long road ahead.” returning to normal.
Maryland has asked the federal government for an initial allocation of $60 million for “immediate efforts” on the ground and a “rapid recovery,” the governor added. After the tragedy, President Joe Biden promised that the federal administration would cover the full cost of rebuilding the bridge.
Source: BFM TV
