Baltimore bridge collapse: Wife of survivor say it’s a ‘miracle’ husband survived’ because he can’t swim
The wife of one of the eight construction workers who was on the Francis Scott Key Bridge when it collapsed has said “it’s a miracle he survived” because he can’t swim.
Julio Cervantes was on the 1.6-mile-long structure when it crashed into the Patapsco River after being struck by a huge container ship in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Mr Cervantes and another man were rescued the same day.
The rescue mission turned into a recovery operation when they were presumed dead on Tuesday night. The bodies of two of them were found on Wednesday while the remaining four have still not been found.
Mr Cervantes’ wife, who did not want to give her name, told Sky News’ US partner network: “All of the men were on a break in their cars when the boat hit.
“We don’t know if they were warned before the impact… My husband doesn’t know how to swim. It is a miracle he survived.”
It emerged after the disaster that personnel on board the ship were able to alert the Maryland Department of Transportation that they had lost control of their vessel.
Pic: NTSB via AP
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New angle shows moment bridge hit
This meant local authorities were able to get close to the bridge before it was struck, with US President Joe Biden saying this “undoubtedly saved lives”.
Mr Cervantes was taken to hospital with a chest wound on Tuesday and was released the same day.
The other worker rescued was in good condition and refused treatment.
The remains of Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, were recovered in the Port of Baltimore on Wednesday morning.
They were found in a red truck trapped under 25ft of water near what was once the middle of the bridge.
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Two possible causes for the catastrophe
Baltimore has ‘very long road ahead’
Mr Cervantes’ wife said that her brother-in-law was one of the two men whose bodies were recovered, but did not share his name.
She said her entire family is of Mexican origin, and her nephew is among those still missing.
“We haven’t been able to sleep, waiting for word if they’re going to find a relative,” she said.
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Moment bridge collapses after being hit by ship
It came as Maryland Governor Wes Moore warned of a “very long road ahead” to recover from the loss of the bridge as the Biden administration approved $60m in immediate federal aid.
Massive barges carrying cranes are in the process of removing twisted metal and concrete as a first step toward reopening a key shipping route blocked by the wreckage.
Mr Moore promised that “the best minds in the world” were working on plans to clear the debris, move the cargo ship that rammed into the bridge from the channel, recover the bodies of the four remaining workers presumed dead and investigate what went wrong.
An investigation into what caused the crash and subsequent bridge collapse is under way by the National Transportation Safety Board. It is anticipated to take up to two years.
This is the most significant statement from the US president in days, though it still keeps everyone guessing.
In a message conveyed through his press secretary, he is giving diplomacy up to two weeks to work.
“Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,” Karoline Leavitt quoted him as saying.
It is not clear what “whether or not to go” entails.
Israel-Iran conflict: Latest updates
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Trump: Iran ‘weeks away’ from nuclear weapon
We know that he has been given a spectrum of different military options by his generals and we know that the Israelis are pressuring him to use American B2 bombers with their bunker-busting bombs to destroy Iran’s nuclear facility at Fodow.
The Israelis are encouraging no delay. But against that, he is weighing up many risks, both military and political.
Militarily, it is not clear how successful a bunker-busting strike on Fordow would be.
Experts have suggested it would require several of the massive bombs, which have never been used in combat before, to be dropped on the site.
It is not as simple as one clean strike and job done.
Politically, the president is under significant pressure domestically not to get involved in Iran.
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MAGA civil war breaks out over Iran
Within his own MAGA coalition – influencers, politicians and media personalities are lining up in criticism of involvement in the conflict.
One of those leading the criticism, his former chief strategist Steve Bannon, who maintains huge influence, was seen entering the White House on Thursday.
His press secretary reiterated to us that the president always wants to give diplomacy a chance and she confirmed that his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has spoken to the Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi.
Steve Bannon, seen recently at a conservative event in Maryland, is against US involvement in Iran. Pic: AP
European leaders, including the UK foreign secretary David Lammy, who is in Washington, are meeting Mr Araghchi in Geneva on Friday.
The two-week window – assuming it lasts that long – also gives space to better prepare for any strike and mitigate against some of the other risks of US involvement.
Read more from Sky News:
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Gantz defends conflict with Iran
‘Love Trump’ says Israeli minister
There are 40,000 troops in bases across the Middle East. It takes time to increase security at these bases or to move non-essential personnel out. It also takes time to move strategic military assets into the region.
The USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and its support vessels were redeployed from the Indo-Pacific on Monday. Their last known position was the Strait of Malacca two days ago.
The Nimitz Carrier Group will overlap with the USS Carl Vinson group which was deployed to the Middle East in March.
The potential two-week window also allows for more time for a ‘day after’ plan, given that the Israeli strategy appears to be regime change from within.
Since the Israeli action in Iran began last week, the worst-case scenario of mass casualties in Israel from Iranian attacks has not materialised.
The president is said to be surprised and encouraged by this. “Israel has exceeded a lot of people’s expectations in their abilities,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
The Israeli success, the absence of a mass casualty event in Israel, and the lack of any sustained counterattack by Iranian proxies in the region remove reservations that previous presidents have had about taking on Iran.
That said, sources have told Sky News that the president is determined that the diplomatic solution should be given a chance despite current pessimism over the chances of success.
A critical two weeks ahead.
A SpaceX rocket has exploded before launch – sending a dramatic fireball high into the sky.
Starship 36 was preparing for its 10th test flight at Starbase – SpaceX’s launch site at the southern tip of Texas – when the incident occurred on Wednesday evening.
During take off procedures just after 11pm local time, the rocket exploded into a giant fireball.
The company described the incident as a “major anomaly”.
Starship 36 was preparing for its 10th test flight. Pic: NASASpaceFlight
The test flight failed at Starbase – SpaceX’s launch site. Pic: NASASpaceFlight
In a statement, it added: “A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for.
“Our Starbase team is actively working to safe the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials.
“There are no hazards to residents in surrounding communities, and we ask that individuals do not attempt to approach the area while safing operations continue.”
Read more from Sky News:
Trump: I ‘may or may not’ strike Iran
Elon Musk posts ‘drug test results’
It marks the latest failure for the space flight company, which hopes that Starship will one day be used to ferry people and cargo to Mars.
Last month, a Starship test flight began spinning out of control about 30 minutes after its launch because of fuel leaks – meaning it broke up on re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.
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May: SpaceX rocket spins out of control
That followed explosive past failures in January, where a rocket blew up about eight minutes after take-off, and March, which forced flights in Florida to be temporarily grounded.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said in May that despite the rocket failure, the test flight was a “big improvement”.
A day later, he said he wants to send a spacecraft crewed by humanoid robots on a voyage to Mars by the end of 2026.
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