Philadelphia Police's Marine Unit details troubles rescue crews face after Baltimore bridge collapse
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in Baltimore, divers from local and state agencies, along with the FBI's highly trained Underwater Search and Evidence Response Team, have been searching for those who went missing.
But experts said the conditions they are facing are some of the most difficult anyone can train for.
Lt. Andrew Napoli, a diver with Philadelphia Police's Marine Unit, said from dark waters to frigid temperatures, the elements are especially tough for crews who must also closely monitor the possibility of secondary collapses and debris shifts that could trap or injure dive teams.
"Generally close your eyes, that's what the diver is dealing with — black water diving is what it's called," Napoli said. "You move one piece and everything else starts to tumble, so as a diver you have to be very, very careful when moving things out of the way."
Teams are also using sonar technology to help identify dive targets and experts said weather also plays a key role in how quickly they can work.
Napoli expects this effort to span weeks and even months in several phases but said, despite what's ahead, he, like the teams on the front lines, know their work matters.
"We're prepared for the worst, that's part of our job, unfortunately. We want to bring family members home. Sometimes we fail at it. Unfortunately, we are not as successful as we would like to be, ultimately, but we always try to do our best," Napoli said.