WASHINGTON, D.C. – About a week ago a cargo ship crashed into a Baltimore bridge. The collision killed six people. Crews are still cleaning up the mess despite a lot of challenges they’re facing.
The cargo ship is still mangled in what’s left of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The collision has impacted the Port of Baltimore, which is one of the busiest ports in the country. Maryland’s Governor Wes Moore (D- MD) announced they’ve temporarily opened two channels to help with commercial traffic. So right now crews are trying to clear the main path quickly for larger ships which is not going to be an easy task.
Governor Moore said the lack of clarity in the water makes it difficult for divers to see more than two feet in front of them. They’re using sonar equipment for a 3D rendering to better understand the situation beneath the surface.
“And what we see here is while the images we are able to see with a camera of above the water are breathtaking and horrifying,” described the Governor. “What we are seeing here under the water where you’re now having debris and wreckage that is sitting inside of a channel inside the Patapsco River, much of it collapsed and pancaked with a 50-foot depth is absolutely staggering.”
The massive 984-foot container ship remains stuck in place and recovery efforts are still underway for four missing workers. Aside from those efforts, rebuilding the bridge could take anywhere from a year and a half to several years. Experts believe the price tag to do that could cost at least hundreds of millions if not more. State, local and federal officials said they are prioritizing rebuilding this bridge.