One body has reportedly been discovered during the search for at least six missing construction workers who fell into the river when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed.
‘We are hearing one body was found,’ Baltimore City Council Member Phylicia Porter said on CNN.
Footage shows rescue teams searching the Patapsco River in the aftermath of the bridge collapse, leaving vehicles submerged and workers missing.
Teams can be seen inspecting the Singaporean-flagged Deli after it collided with the bridge on Tuesday morning.
Remnants of the 1.6 mile long bridge can be seen embedded in the bow of the vessel while teams point flash lights around the murky waters as they search for those missing in the catastrophe.
One body has reportedly been discovered during the search for at least six missing construction workers
Five vehicles are currently submerged in the river, with six construction workers unaccounted for who had been working on the bridge when it went down.
Maryland authorities are using sonar to search for people who fell into the 47F water as they were working to repair potholes on the 185-foot bridge when it collapsed.
Officials have since said they have spotted five vehicles under water thanks to infrared and side-scan sonar technology – three passenger vehicles, a cement truck and a fifth vehicle.
Governor Wes Moore declared a state of emergency Tuesday morning following the catastrophic collision, which occurred at about 1.30am.
The ship was 20 minutes into its journey when it slammed into a support column on the bridge.
The Democrat said the ship’s crew managed to issue a Mayday before it crashed into the bridge, which allowed officials to stop cars from going on the bridge.
‘We’re thankful that between the ‘mayday” and collapse that-that we had officials who were able to-to begin the stop the flow of traffic so more cars were not up on the bridge,’ Moore added.
President Joe Biden, who will speak to the country about the collapse later today, said on X: ‘This morning, I convened senior members of my team for a briefing on the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge.
‘I’ve directed my Administration to ensure every federal resource is available to assist search and rescue efforts and response to this terrible incident.’
President Joe Biden, announced that the government would pay the full cost to replace the bridge and insisted it was an accident.
Video shows the ship going dark seconds before the collision, suggesting a power failure on board.