U.S. crews in Baltimore initiated controlled explosions on Monday to assist in removing a section of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge from the bow of a large container ship that caused the span to collapse in March.
The detonations were intended to break the bridge's truss into smaller sections, enabling salvage crews to use cranes and barges to remove the twisted metal wreckage, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Originally planned for Sunday, the work was delayed due to weather conditions. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state officials have not yet responded to requests for comment on the success of the detonations.
In the early hours of March 26, the ship, named the Dali, lost power and collided with a bridge support, causing the span to fall into the Patapsco River, with a large portion resting on the Dali's bow.
The incident resulted in the tragic deaths of six construction workers.
The collision initially halted traffic at the Port of Baltimore, which leads in the U.S. for several cargo categories, including autos and light trucks, farm and construction machinery, imported sugar, and imported gypsum, according to the state of Maryland. Following the crash, four temporary channels were opened to allow some shipping to resume. The Corps aims to fully restore port access by the end of May. Maryland estimates the bridge's reconstruction will cost between $1.7 billion to $1.9 billion, with completion expected by fall 2028.
In April, the FBI launched a criminal investigation into the collapse. Safety investigators recovered the ship's "black box" recorder, which contains data on its position, speed, heading, radar, bridge audio, radio communications, and alarms.
(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Chicago and Brad Brooks in Longmont, Colorado; Editing by Frank McGurty, Josie Kao, and David Gregorio)