Baltimore Key bridge collapse: Bodies of two victims trapped in truck recovered

Baltimore, Maryland - The bodies of two of the workers who went missing when a bridge in Baltimore collapsed after a cargo ship crashed into it have been recovered, authorities said on Wednesday afternoon.

Authorities in Baltimore have recovered the bodies of two victims who went missing after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Authorities in Baltimore have recovered the bodies of two victims who went missing after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.  © IMAGO / Newscom / EyePress

A cargo ship rammed into one of the support pillars of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore around 1:30 AM on Tuesday morning, causing it to collapse.

Maryland State Police's Roland Butler said that on Wednesday, at about 10 AM, divers located a red pickup truck about 25 feet deep and found the bodies of two victims trapped in the vehicle. They were identified as Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, a 35-year-old who had lived in Baltimore and was originally from Mexico, and his 26-year-old colleague Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, who lived in the suburb of Dundalk but came from Guatemala.

Butler also said that authorities would be moving from recovery mode to a salvage operation.

Georgia dock walkway collapses in deadly tragedy
Accidents Georgia dock walkway collapses in deadly tragedy

"Because of the superstructure surrounding what we believe were the vehicles and the amount of concrete and debris, divers are no longer able to safely navigate and operate around that," Butler said. "We have exhausted all search efforts."

"They're the ones who are going to build the bridge again – the Latinos"

Maryland State Police Secretary Roland Butler said efforts were now geared towards salvage, not recovery.
Maryland State Police Secretary Roland Butler said efforts were now geared towards salvage, not recovery.  © Anna Moneymaker / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

All six construction workers who went missing when the bridge collapsed were all presumed dead.

Butler confirmed that the victims were from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.

Late on Tuesday, Guatemala had said that two of its citizens, aged 26 and 35, had been missing since the accident.

Notre Dame bells ring out in Paris for first time since 2019 fire
Accidents Notre Dame bells ring out in Paris for first time since 2019 fire

The immigrant organization Casa announced that one of its members was also missing. He was a father of three from El Salvador who had been living in Maryland for more than 19 years. He went to work on Monday evening and did not return home.

Citing the Mexican consul in Washington, Rafael Laveaga, CNN reported that Mexican citizens were also missing. It is not known how many.

"[W]e know our people are involved," Laveaga said. "It was a crew who was repairing parts of the potholes on the bridge, and they’re the ones who are going to build the bridge again – the Latinos"

Cover photo: IMAGO / Newscom / EyePress

More on Accidents: