The six construction workers presumed dead following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, in Baltimore, are all Latino. They were working for Brawner Builders, filling potholes at the center of the bridge when the Dali ship crashed into it.
As hours went by, different outlets gathered information about the missing workers, who migrated to the U.S. throughout the years. They hailed from El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, information that was confirmed but authorities from said countries and family members of those missing.
One of them was Salvadorian Miguel Luna, a father of three who had been living in Maryland for 19 years, said CASA, a nonprofit providing services to working-class immigrant families. CASA executive director Gustavo Torres said in a statement Tuesday night that he was a "longtime member of the CASA family."
Another worker at the bridge was Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval. His brother told CNN that he'd been in the U.S. for 18 years and had two children. The country's Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Antonio García told The Associated Press that he'd been in contact with his family.
Moreover, the Guatemalan government confirmed two of those unaccounted for are nationals of that country. Officials didn't provide their names but said one of them was a 26-year-old from San Luis, Peten, and the other one a 35-year-old from Camotan, Chiquimula.
In Mexico, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said in his morning briefing that three Mexican workers were affected by the accident. Of them, one is injured and two are still missing.
WATCH: Here's the moment a major bridge in Baltimore collapsed after being struck by a ship. https://t.co/rZ6N8TDldx pic.twitter.com/F49cY4zVjP
— Axios (@axios) March 26, 2024
"They are all hard-working, humble men," the Banner was told by an employee at Brawner Builders. The company's executive vice president, Jeffrey Pritzker, confirmed the crew was working on the central section when the bridge collapsed. "This was so completely unforeseen," he said, adding, "We don't know what else to say. We take such great pride in safety, and we have cones and signs and lights and barriers and flaggers. But we never foresaw that the bridge would collapse."
Rescue efforts for the construction workers on the bridge at the time transitioned into a recovery mission by Tuesday evening, according to Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon N. Gilreath. The Coast Guard ended its search late Tuesday, citing the cold water temperature and the time elapsed since the overnight collapse.
According to The Washington Post, quick action by the crew of the Dali ship may have prevented a larger tragedy. Maryland Governor Wes Moore said the crew issued a mayday alert immediately after losing power.
This warning allowed authorities to block traffic on the Francis Scott Key Bridge before the ship's collision, potentially saving lives.
The governor declared a state of emergency in response to the bridge collapse. Using sonar technology, rescue crews identified at least five vehicles submerged in the frigid, 50-foot-deep water. These included three passenger cars, a cement truck, and another unidentified vehicle. Authorities believe none of these vehicles contained occupants at the time of the collapse.
Investigators have concluded that it was an accident and not an act of terrorism.
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