Recovery operations began in Maryland on Wednesday, March 27, as investigators continued to look for the six individuals who were believed to have perished after the horrific collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Parts of the 985-foot-long tanker fell into the Patapsco River when it struck the bridge early on Tuesday. CNN reported that six construction workers from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico were reported missing.
However, the US Coast Guard has now announced that, having determined that the men had died, it will end its massive search and rescue operation.
Among the individuals named was Miguel Luna, 49, a husband and father of three who was born in El Salvador and has spent over 20 years living in Maryland. Luna was one of the workers tasked to patch the bridge’s potholes when it collapsed, according to the BBC.
As continuous efforts were made to recover, María del Carmen Castellón, the spouse of Miguel Luna, expressed her sorrow and the family anxiously anticipated updates.
All they say is that they can’t provide us any information right now, so we should wait. Our hearts are broken and we are inconsolable since we don’t know if they have already saved them. “We’re just waiting to hear any news,” Maria lamented in a Telemundo 44 interview.
Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval, 38, was one of the workers who vanished and was also named as a victim. Maynor, a married father of two children, ages five and eighteen, was born in Honduras. Martin Suazo, his brother, claimed to have been a resident of the US for about eighteen years.
Tuesday morning the six workmen, including Maynor, were repairing potholes on the bridge when the tragedy happened. They were employed by Brawner Builders, a local company that maintains bridges in Maryland.
Brawner Builders senior executive Jeffrey Pritzker expressed profound dismay at the incident’s unanticipated nature while highlighting the company’s commitment to safety.
“This was so completely unforeseen,” remarked Jeffrey. “We don’t know what to say. We take great pride in ensuring safety, which is why we have cones, signage, lighting, barriers, and flaggers. But we never thought the bridge would collapse.
The families of those who are missing and believed to have passed away are in our thoughts and prayers.
