Baltimore shipping channel fully reopens after bridge collapse

Six construction workers were killed in the incident and crews have since removed 50,000 tonnes of wreckage. The 700ft (213m) wide and 50ft (15m) deep channel has now been restored to its original operational dimensions.

Some 2,000 salvage responders, including hundreds of specialists from around the world, worked to remove the heap of steel and concrete with the help of a fleet of tugboats and more than a dozen floating cranes.

Baltimore District Commander Col Estee Pinchasin said in a statement: "Although the overarching goal to restore full operational capacity to the Federal Channel was successful, each day we thought of those who lost their lives, their families and the workers impacted by this tragic event."

The crash left the vessel trapped under the wreckage in the Patapsco river.

Last month, the Dali was moved by tugboats, marking one of the last steps needed to clear up shipping routes before reopening. The FBI and US Coast Guard are investigating the incident.

Rebuilding the bridge will take more than four years and cost up to $1.9bn (£1.5bn), state authorities in Maryland have said.

Published On: 13/06/2024 14:00:00

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