Unified Command begins wreckage removal at Key Bridge

BALTIMORE – The Unified Command has begun removing debris from the Francis Scott Key Bridge on Saturday, March 30. 

Highly trained demolition crews will start by cutting the top north side of the collapsed bridge into smaller sections to be safely removed by crane and transported to a barge Saturday evening as daylight permits, the office of Mayor Brandon Scott said. 

Governor Moore received his daily briefing from the Unified Command on Sunday morning, March 31. A 200-ton piece of the bridge was removed from Span 19. Additionally, a grounding survey will be conducted March 31, to determine how the hard the ground around the Dali is to inform the strategy for pulling it off. The Unified Command will also continue accessing data to open a limited draft auxiliary channel, the office of Wes Moore confirmed. 

Two crane barges, a 650-ton crane, and a 330-ton crane are working on the scene. The 230-ton land-based crane will offload and process the wreckage at Tradepoint Atlantic and will then be taken to a disposal site. 

The Unified Command efforts will be led by the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineering, Maryland Department of the Environment, Maryland Transportation Authority, and Maryland State Police along with Witt O'Brien's Synergy Marine. 

Gas-powered cutters will be used by salvage teams to separate sections of the steel bridge, which will then be taken to a disposal site. Simultaneously, salvage divers will take underwater assessments to determine further operations. "Every lifting operation requires engineering analysis to inform salvage operation plans." the office of Mayor Scott said. 

The Unified Command is also working with BGE to reduce the pressure of an underwater pipeline which spans the width of the channel and runs underneath the site of the incident. The Command wants to move the pipeline to prevent any hazards or risks. Pipeline operations will continue through the weekend. 

A 2000-yard maritime Safety Zone for the M/V Dali recovery is also in effect, which includes a temporary flight restriction that prohibits all drones from operating within three nautical miles from the surface, up to and including 1,500 feet above ground level.  

The safety zone will ensure protection of personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from the potential hazards associated with salvage work.  

Debris and remains from the wreckage make it unsafe for rescue divers. Therefore, they will continue to search for the four unrecovered bodies once conditions improve. 

Governor Moore announced in a press conference that the salvage and recovery efforts are a round-the-clock operation. 

As of March 29, 377 people were actively engaged in response operations in support of the Unified Command, Moore said. 

Governor Moore also mentioned four directives that they are focused on: 
-Recovery
-Clearing the Channel and Opening Vessel Traffic to the Port
-Taking Care of the People Who Have Been Affected
-Rebuilding the Bridge

Steuart Pittman, Anne Arundel County Executive, confirmed that residents of Anne Arundel County (AACO) have reported sights of debris washed up on shorelines in AACO. Inspectors are investigating the claims at Rivera Beach in Pasadena according to Suzanne Dorsey, of the Maryland Department of the Environment.

Once debris is removed, the Unified Command plans on opening an auxiliary channel for smaller vessels which will allow additional access.

The vessel remains stable with crew aboard, Mayor Scott's office said. 

A website with incident response information can be found here.