Maryland [US], Mar 27: The Maryland state police on Wednesday said that the six people who were missing after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed Tuesday in Baltimore, Maryland, have been presumed dead.

The Singapore-flagged vessel collided with one of the pillars of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland, leading to its collapse on Tuesday.

Earlier, as stated by US President Joe Biden, eight people were unaccounted for after the Baltimore Bridge collapse, out of which two have been rescued, while the rescue operation was ongoing for the remaining six.

He added, "Ship traffic in the port of Baltimore has been suspended until further notice and we'll need to clear that channel before the ship traffic can resume...It's my intention that the federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstructing that bridge...The people of Baltimore can count on us."

The shipping company, Synergy Maritime Group, said on Tuesday in a statement that there were 22 Indians on board and all of them were Indians.
When asked about the crew on board and their nationality, NTSB Chair Homendy said, "The question is who was on board the vessel and their nationalities. I have heard conflicting information on that..."

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She further said, "I have seen information about crew members on board. We still need to verify the numbers of crew on board and their status."

US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg emphasised that the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, which collapsed, was not an ordinary bridge and was one of the cathedrals of American infrastructure and added that the path to normalcy will not be easy.

Following the collapse, the US Secretary of Transportation said that bringing everything back to normal would not be quick and inexpensive.

He further extended gratitude for the extraordinary and courageous work of the first responders, some of whom are in that cold water right now, some of whom are from right here.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore said that the container ship, before colliding with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, made a 'mayday' call, which prompted officials to stop traffic and try to evacuate people on the bridge, the New York Times reported citing several federal and Maryland officials.
Governor Moore said that this rapid response helped save lives. "These people are heroes."

(ANI)

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