[Bridge, Maryalnd, Baltimore. Photo Credit to Pixabay]

The iconic Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, suffered a catastrophic collapse on Tuesday, March 26, following an accidental collision with a container ship that lost power.

Tragically, eight workers, part of a construction crew repairing potholes, were unable to get off the bridge when the alert went out.

Two were rescued, and the bodies of two workers have been recovered, while the remaining four workers are still missing and presumed dead due to the freezing temperatures or drowning.

The workers were all immigrants from Latin America, having come to the United States for a better life, leaving behind grieving families.

The container ship involved was the MV Dali, a giant 300 -meter-long vessel from Singapore.

The Dali has reported no casualties.

The U.S. Coast Guard, coordinating with the state of Maryland, the federal Department of Transportation, and other local, state, and federal authorities, was on the scene quickly and led rescue operations before ultimately giving up the search for the six workers.

Due to the late timing of the bridge collapse (1:30 AM) along with the quick response of local authorities to the Dali’s mayday call after it lost power, police were able to block traffic onto the bridge and prevent any further loss of life.

The formerly rescue missions have now shifted to recovery operations.

Due to the collapse of the Key Bridge, shipping to and from the Port of Baltimore has been suspended indefinitely, with experts estimating that it can take several weeks for the port to reopen.

The Port of Baltimore is the 14th largest in the United States, handling a total of 52.3 million tons of cargo (generating 80.8 billion dollars worth of commerce) in the previous year.

The Port is particularly vital to the trade of automobiles, being the number one source for both vehicular imports and exports in the United States.

Blockage of the port due to rubble and other concerns will most likely disrupt trade not only concerning the United States, but globally as well.

Reacting to the crisis, Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D-MD) declared a state of emergency immediately after the collapse.

The Federal Highway Administration (part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Department of Transportation) allocated $60 million for the bridge’s reconstruction and the speedy opening of the port.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge, stretching 1.6 miles over the Patapsco River, has been a Baltimore landmark since its opening in 1977.

Named after the author of the Star-Spangled Banner, it symbolizes American resilience.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigeig once hailed it as a “cathedral of American infrastructure,” akin to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.

Amidst these reflections on the bridge’s significance, as investigations into the cause of the tragic collapse continue, the loss of lives and disruption to vital trade highlights the urgent need for infrastructure improvements and safety measures nationwide.