Baltimore bridge collapse: Two bodies recovered after fatal crash

President Biden praises Indian crew of Dali for sending out mayday alert that 'undoubtedly saved lives'

The Singapore-flagged ship Dali hit the bridge in the early hours of Tuesday. Getty Images

The bodies of two people were recovered on Wednesday after a ship slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.

Six people were missing and presumed dead after search and rescue efforts were suspended on Tuesday and remains recovery began.

The bodies of the two men were found in a pickup truck under about 7.6 metres of water near the bridge's middle span, according to AP.

The men and four others were carrying out maintenance on the bridge at the time of the crash.

The Singapore-flagged ship Dali, which was on its way to Sri Lanka, hit the bridge in the early hours of Tuesday, causing it to collapse.

US President Joe Biden has pledged to "send all the federal resources" needed to help rebuild the port.

"While the investigation in the response is continuing, President Biden has made clear that this whole administration will be providing support in every respect for the recovery and rebuilding process," said Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

"From a Department of Transportation perspective, that really comes down to four major focus areas: reopen the port; deal with the supply chain applications until the port does reopen; rebuild the bridge; and deal with the surface transportation implications until the bridge is rebuilt."

Who are the victims?

Divers on Wednesday were trying to recover the bodies of the workers who fell into the water.

The missing include Miguel Luna, originally from El Salvador, and Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval, originally from Honduras, according to CNN.

Two Guatemalan men are also among the missing, the country's Foreign Ministry confirmed.

Three Mexican citizens were on the bridge when it collapsed and one has been rescued, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday.

Dali's data record recovered

The data recorder for the ship has been recovered and officials are investigating the causes behind the crash.

Jennifer Homendy, head of the National Transport Safety Board, told CNN on Wednesday that investigators boarded the ship overnight and recovered the data record.

Ms Homendy described the data record as the ship's “black box”, referring to a plane's flight recorder that monitors performance and any incidents.

“Some investigators boarded late last night to look at the engine room, the bridge and gather any sort of electronics or documentation,” she said.

“We’ve sent that back to our lab to evaluate and begin to develop a timeline of events that led up to the strike on the bridge.”

Biden praises Indian crew

Mr Biden praised the crew of the Dali, all Indian citizens, after they sent out a mayday call minutes before the crash, saving many lives.

“Personnel on board the ship were able to alert the Maryland Department of Transportation that they had lost control of their vessel,” he said on Tuesday.

“As a result, local authorities were able to close the bridge to traffic before the bridge was struck, which undoubtedly saved lives.”

The Dali is believed to have lost power right before the incident, which shut down the engine and steering.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore called the crew “heroes” for their actions.

Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore – in pictures

A satellite image of the Dali container ship and sections of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland. Reuters

People gather for a vigil at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Dundalk, Maryland. AP

The Dali cargo ship ran into the bridge, leading to its collapse on March 26. AFP

News crews and residents gather along the shoreline. Rescuers pulled two people from the Patapsco River but were searching for at least seven more. AFP

Jesus Campos speaks about the work he and his co-workers normally do to repair the Francis Scott Key Bridge. AFP

Mr Scott, centre, hugs an attendee during a vigil for victims of the bridge collapse at the Mount Olive Baptist Church in Baltimore. AFP

Baltimore Police commissioner Richard Worley, centre, Mayor Brandon Scott, right, and Fire Department chief James Wallace hold a press conference. AFP

Rescuers gather on the shore of the Patapsco River for an operation authorities described as a 'mass casualty, multi-agency rescue'. EPA

Motorway alerts warn drivers about the incident in Baltimore. Reuters

A number of workers were carrying out repairs when the Dali hit the bridge. Bloomberg

The bridge collapsed on top of the vessel. EPA

A large lorry was crossing the bridge when it collapsed, fire department officials said. Reuters

The Francis Scott Key Bridge was the world's third-longest continuous truss bridge. Getty Images