Cargo ship had engine maintenance in port before it collided with Baltimore bridge, officials say
The victims, who were part of a construction crew fixing potholes on the bridge, were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, Butler said. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore addressed their families in Spanish during the news conference, saying, “Estamos contigo, ahora y siempre," which means, “we are with you, now and always." All search efforts have been exhausted, and based on sonar scans, authorities “firmly" believe the other vehicles with victims inside are encased in superstructures and concrete from the collapsed bridge, Butler said.
Divers are to return to search for remains once the waters are clear of debris. Jesus Campos, who has worked on the bridge and knows members of the crew who died, said on Tuesday that he was told they were on a break and some were sitting in their trucks parked on the bridge to warm up when the it collapsed. U.S.
Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said at the news conference that authorities had been informed that the ship was going to undergo the maintenance. “As far as the engine goes, we were not informed of any problems with the vessel," he said. “We were informed that they were going to conduct routine engine maintenance on it while it was in port.
And that’s the only thing we were informed about the vessel in that regard." The investigation ramped up as the Baltimore region reeled from the sudden loss of a major transportation link that's part of the highway loop around the city. The disaster also closed the port that is vital to the city's shipping industry. Officials with the National Transportation Safety Board boarded the ship to recover information from its electronics and paperwork and to do interviews with the captain and other crew members, NTSB Chair Jennifer
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