By Katherine Donlevy
NY POST
Published April 3, 2024
The mangled remnants of the Francis Scott Key Bridge can be seen lying at the bottom of the Patapsco River in new sonar images released on Tuesday.
The once-iconic bridge appears unrecognizable in the 3D renderings as it sits shrouded in the dark waters of the channel.
“These 3D images show the sheer magnitude of the very difficult and challenging salvage operation ahead,” the US Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District said.
Published April 3, 2024
The mangled remnants of the Francis Scott Key Bridge can be seen lying at the bottom of the Patapsco River in new sonar images released on Tuesday.
The once-iconic bridge appears unrecognizable in the 3D renderings as it sits shrouded in the dark waters of the channel.
“These 3D images show the sheer magnitude of the very difficult and challenging salvage operation ahead,” the US Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District said.
The 3D images will be used by divers to navigate the mangled disaster zone.
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Taken by the US Navy’s Naval Sea System Command’s primary sonar tool called CODA Octopus, the images will be used to create maps to help divers navigate the chaotic scene, where visibility is limited to just one or two feet.
Several feet of mud and soot were dislodged from the river floor last week when the Dali container truck smashed into the bridge, causing it to crumble and plunging at least eight construction workers into the water.
The Army compared the cloudy conditions to “driving through a heavy snowfall at night with high-beam headlights on.”
As recovery efforts continue, divers will rely on detailed verbal directions from operators in vessels who are viewing the real-time CODA imagery.
Taken by the US Navy’s Naval Sea System Command’s primary sonar tool called CODA Octopus, the images will be used to create maps to help divers navigate the chaotic scene, where visibility is limited to just one or two feet.
Several feet of mud and soot were dislodged from the river floor last week when the Dali container truck smashed into the bridge, causing it to crumble and plunging at least eight construction workers into the water.
The Army compared the cloudy conditions to “driving through a heavy snowfall at night with high-beam headlights on.”
As recovery efforts continue, divers will rely on detailed verbal directions from operators in vessels who are viewing the real-time CODA imagery.
The renderings were taken by the US Navy’s Naval Sea System Command’s primary sonar tool called CODA Octopus.
twitter/USACEBaltimore
US Army Corps of Engineers Col. Estee Pinchasin said the underwater conditions are “extremely unforgiving” for divers.
“The magnitude of this is enormous,” she said.
Crews are in the process of removing the heaps of steel and concrete at the site of the collapse, where authorities believe the bodies of four of the eight victims are still trapped.
US Army Corps of Engineers Col. Estee Pinchasin said the underwater conditions are “extremely unforgiving” for divers.
“The magnitude of this is enormous,” she said.
Crews are in the process of removing the heaps of steel and concrete at the site of the collapse, where authorities believe the bodies of four of the eight victims are still trapped.
The visibility around the wreckage is just one or two feet.
The bodies of two construction workers with Brawner Builders were pulled from a red pick-up truck submerged 25 feet below the surface near the middle span of the bridge one day after the disaster.
Two people — a state inspector and a contractor from an engineering firm — were rescued shortly after, one of whom was seriously injured and the other who refused treatment.
All eight victims were part of the construction crew working to repair potholes on the bridge when the cargo ship Dali lost power in the early hours of March 26, shortly after leaving Baltimore on its way to Sri Lanka.
The bodies of two construction workers with Brawner Builders were pulled from a red pick-up truck submerged 25 feet below the surface near the middle span of the bridge one day after the disaster.
Two people — a state inspector and a contractor from an engineering firm — were rescued shortly after, one of whom was seriously injured and the other who refused treatment.
All eight victims were part of the construction crew working to repair potholes on the bridge when the cargo ship Dali lost power in the early hours of March 26, shortly after leaving Baltimore on its way to Sri Lanka.
US Army Corps of Engineers Col. Estee Pinchasin said the underwater conditions are “extremely unforgiving” for divers.
The ship issued a mayday alert, allowing just enough time for police to stop traffic.
The owners of the ship, Synergy and Grace Ocean, filed a court petition Monday seeking to limit their legal liability, a routine but important procedure for cases litigated under US maritime law. A federal court in Maryland will ultimately decide who is responsible and how much they owe.
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The ship issued a mayday alert, allowing just enough time for police to stop traffic.
The owners of the ship, Synergy and Grace Ocean, filed a court petition Monday seeking to limit their legal liability, a routine but important procedure for cases litigated under US maritime law. A federal court in Maryland will ultimately decide who is responsible and how much they owe.
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