Baltimore, Maryland – The recovery efforts at the Key Bridge wreckage site concluded with the retrieval of the body of the sixth and final construction worker involved in the tragic March 26 bridge collapse. The last victim, Jose Mynor Lopez, 37, a Baltimore resident originally from Guatemala, was identified, marking the end of a weeks-long operation to locate and retrieve all the workers.
Lopez, who resided in Dundalk with his wife, was remembered by his loved ones for his hard work and dedication to his family. The recovery teams had earlier located the bodies of five other workers: José Mynor López, Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval, Carlos Daniel Hernandez Estrella, and Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez.
Colonel Roland Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland Department of State Police, expressed condolences and highlighted the importance of honoring the memories of the deceased workers. Maryland Governor Wes Moore also offered his sympathies to the families affected by the tragedy and emphasized the everlasting support for the grieving loved ones.
The tragic incident occurred when a container ship collided with the Key Bridge, causing it to collapse and leading to the fall of the workers into the Patapsco River. Although two individuals were rescued, the recovery teams have now located and retrieved all six workers involved in the collapse.
Efforts are now focused on removing the section of the bridge resting on the Dali ship through controlled explosives, part of a precision cutting process. Governor Moore mentioned the challenges of lifting the ship with thousands of tons of steel on top of it, with hopes of completing the operation by the end of the week.
Meanwhile, discussions are underway regarding the reconstruction of a new Key Bridge, with a virtual conference held by the Maryland Transportation Authority to address the next steps. With a target opening date of fall 2028 and an estimated cost of nearly $2 billion, coordination with the federal government is ongoing to streamline the permit process and expedite the rebuilding efforts.