Desperate ‘race for time’ as Baltimore bridge collapse plunged 6 men into icy water… with last body found 43 days later

The crew of the 100,000-ton container ship Dali radioed Baltimore police in desperation to warn of an approaching calamity that no one could halt, as they were plunged into complete darkness due to a power outage.

On Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at around 1.30 am, shortly after leaving port, the enormous ship lost all power, jamming the rudder in its position and turning off its engines.

The enormous, cargo-laden ship had lost control and was headed directly for the 1.5-mile Francis Scott Key bridge at the harbor’s entrance, using only its own speed.

As the ship headed straight toward one of the support piers, police officers stationed close to the bridge sprung into action, blocking off the road in a race against time.

As the Dali’s crew tried to restore power and dropped the anchor in a last-ditch effort to stop the ship in her tracks, a crucial four minutes passed. However, it was in vain.

In barely 30 seconds, the enormous steel structure plunged into the freezing Patapsco River as the 300-meter-long ship collided directly into the bridge’s support columns.

Just forty seconds before the bridge’s spectacular collapse, the last vehicle to cross it managed to get off.

Unfortunately, six workmen who were working late to patch potholes in the center of the road deck were not reachable by police.

When they and the bridge were thrown into the icy Atlantic water, they were all murdered.

Despite suffering terrible injuries, another man who was unable to escape the bridge was saved after being dragged out of the water.

After escaping via a work vehicle’s window and clinging to rubble, Julio Cervantes, a second survivor who couldn’t swim, managed to survive.

According to his team, he was left “with severe mental and emotional pain and suffering,” but his lawyer, Justin Miller, added, “He fought for his life, and he survived.”

Astonished by the catastrophe that had just occurred, authorities acted immediately.

First responders’ horror and disbelief at what had just transpired were captured on bodycam footage.

The Key Bridge is not operational. An officer can be heard saying, “And several people are still unaccounted for.”

Tonight, a brand-new BBC One documentary will tell the inside tale of the catastrophe and the frantic salvage effort that followed.

Wrecking ball

Thankfully, the Dali remained floating despite being encased in a distorted jumble of concrete and steel.

According to Professor Sal Mercogliano, a shipping expert and veteran merchant mariner, the accident was unavoidable despite the Dali’s crew’s best efforts.

He told The Sun that silence is the worst sound on a ship because it indicates that you lack control.

That must have been the longest four minutes in the crew’s history, and you’re at the mercy of the ship.”

Unfortunately, the Dali’s momentum carried it directly into the bridge’s pier, the one spot where a collision would bring the entire structure down, when it lost power.

He clarified that this catastrophe would not have occurred if the ship had lost power 30 seconds sooner or later.

It would have missed the pier if it had happened earlier. Later, it would have floated beneath the main arch of the bridge.

Diving danger

The scope of the effort to remove the debris and reopen the waterway became evident when the dust fell.

One of the biggest ports on the East Coast of America, it supports more than 20,000 employment and handles 60 billion dollars’ worth of cargo annually.

It was now a race against time to restore the port to ships because the shutdown was costing an astounding $15 million per day.

Robyn Bianchi has worked in salvage for the US Navy and privately for the majority of her career. She is currently the assistant salvage master for Donjon Marine, one of the organizations responsible for clearing the canal.

However, the task at hand was unlike anything she had ever encountered.

Assessing the debris in the water with divers was the first step before considering relocating the bridge; this is a high-risk operation where no short cuts can be used.

It took more than two and a half months to remove the last piece of wreckage, despite working up to eighteen hours a day, seven days a week.

Robyn told The Sun, “I don’t think this is comparable to anything on any scale that I’ve ever been part of.”

No visibility exists. You’re basically plunging down into the water, and you have no idea what to anticipate. It was chilly and dark.

Down there, it resembled a metal jungle gym.

The bodies of the six workmen who perished when the bridge collapsed were also discovered during the recovery effort.

Miguel Luna, 36, a father of three, was one of them.

One of his kids, Marvin, told the Washington Post that he knew where his father worked but was unaware of the tragedy until a buddy called to share the news.

When Marvin attempted to call his father’s phone, no one answered.

Another victim, Alejandro Fuentes, 35, was discovered stuck in a pickup truck over eight meters below the ground.

He was accompanied by his 26-year-old coworker, Dorlian Cabrera.

The Maryland Department of State Police said that one was recognized by a driver’s license and the other by a fingerprint.

Trapped on board

The final body of one of the workers who perished, Jose Lopez, 35, was not found and given back to his family until forty-three days after the collapse.

Due to visa constraints, the Indian and Sri Lankan crew members of the ship Dali were unable to depart while the cleanup effort was in progress.

Worst of all, an FBI criminal inquiry into the accident’s causes resulted in the confiscation of their phones.

Sal Mercogliano claims that it’s doubtful the crew was allowed to disembark until nine months after the tragedy, after the ship had arrived in China for repairs.

The specific cause of the Dali’s power outage and subsequent collision with the Francis Scott Key bridge is presently being investigated.

Initial inquiries revealed a loose cable that disrupted the electrical supply by causing a power spike.

Additionally, malfunctioning generators might have kept fail-safe mechanisms from activating as intended.

The event has raised concerns about port and maritime safety.

However, in the maritime industry, regulations and procedures are frequently changed only after a disaster.

“I believe it might occur tomorrow,” Sal continued.

A lot of regulations are written in blood when it comes to shipping; something has to go wrong before it can be fixed.

Why Bridges Collapse: The Baltimore Disasters is available to view on iPlayer and will air on BBC One at 9:00 PM on Thursday, December 5.

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