DUNDALK, Md. — Maryland Gov. Wes Moore praised crews for their quick cleanup and recovery at the site of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse saying they achieved "in matter of weeks what many thought would take months."
In a press conference Tuesday, following the successful refloating of the cargo ship Dali, the governor said crews worked with "historic speed," but stressed there is still work to do.
"I want to be very, very clear: The mission is not over. The work is not done," Moore said.
Nearly two months have passed since the Dali lost power and crashed into one of the bridge’s supporting columns, killing six construction workers and halting most maritime traffic through the Port of Baltimore.
Refloated at high tide Monday morning, the vessel slowly moved away from the site of the March 26 disaster, guided by five tugboats. The extensive damage to its bow included a massive, gaping hole above the waterline on its starboard side.
Removing the hulking ship opened a new void in Baltimore’s altered skyline, which lost an iconic landmark and a symbol of the city’s proud maritime history. Crews have already cleared thousands of tons of mangled steel that jutted up from the water’s surface after the collapse.
The bodies of the six victims have been recovered from the underwater wreckage — all Latino immigrants who came to the U.S. for job opportunities. They were filling potholes on an overnight shift when the bridge was destroyed.
Officials said the Dali would move at about 1 mph on the roughly 2.5-mile (4-kilometer) trip back to port, a fraction of its speed when it lost power and brought down the bridge. It will spend several weeks getting temporary repairs at the same marine terminal it sat before beginning its voyage initially.
To refloat the Dali, crews released anchors and pumped out more than 1 million gallons of water that had kept the ship grounded and stable. Crews conducted a controlled demolition on May 13 to break down the largest remaining span of the collapsed bridge, which was draped across the Dali’s bow. Dive teams then confirmed the path was clear.
The FBI has launched a criminal investigation into the circumstances leading up to the crash.
The Dali experienced two electrical blackouts about 10 hours before leaving the Port of Baltimore on its way to Sri Lanka. The crew later made changes to the ship’s electrical configuration, switching to a transformer and breaker system that had previously been out of use for several months, according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report.
Moore called the report "troubling" on Tuesday.
"We know that what happened on March 26 should not have happened. We've said from the very start that those who need to be held accountable for what happened on March 26 need to be held accountable for it in every way shape and form."
Two more blackouts left the Dali without propulsion, causing it to drift off course just as it was approaching the Key Bridge. By then, two tugboats that had guided the Dali out of port had peeled off — normal protocol, according to the report — but when the power went out, the tugs were too far away to help avert disaster.
The ship’s 21 crew members, most of whom are from India, haven’t been allowed off the vessel since the collapse. The Dali is managed by Synergy Marine Group and owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd., both of Singapore.
Darrell Wilson, a spokesperson for Synergy, said Monday that the crew has been busy maintaining the ship and assisting investigators. But now that the Dali is docked, he said company officials are working to secure shore leave for them. The process is somewhat more complicated than usual because their visas have expired.
Wilson said two more crew members recently joined the original 21 to spread out the workload and give them a break.
“Ultimately, we want to get them home to see their families,” he said, though that timeline is unclear.
William Marks, a spokesperson for the crew, said they will remain on board “for the foreseeable future.”
Port Director Jonathan Daniels said Monday that the channel is now 400 feet (122 meters) wide and 50 feet (15-meter) deep, and will be cleared to its full 700-foot (213-meter) width within two weeks.
Moore said Maryland will continue working to clear the channel, support the people affected and rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
"I will not be satisfied until I can look out on the Patapsco River from this spot and see the Key Bridge standing."
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