Salvage Crew To Use Explosives To Release MV Dali Ship From Baltimore’s Key Bridge Debris

Baltimore Bridge — Image Credits: USACE/Twitter

Salvage workers in Baltimore are preparing for a vital operation to release the cargo ship Dali from the debris of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge.

In a daring move, officials have confirmed that precision explosives will dislodge a large section of the bridge’s truss that is currently entangled with the vessel.

The unified Command, managing the operation in collaboration with local media WBAL-TV, stated that the detonation would be carefully planned.

Petty Officer Ronald Hodges stated that the blast, which is scheduled for this week, will not risk the safety of the ship’s crew, who have been onboard since the incident.

He added that the crew can stay onboard safely and do not have to be evacuated at the time of the blast.

The preparation for the explosive operation is comprehensive and time-consuming.

According to the sources close to the salvage efforts, the precision explosives must be placed on the truss over several days.

Weather and tide variables change the timing of the blast even further.

Authorities have emphasised transparency in the process, stating that the media will be notified 48 hours before the explosion.

The salvage operation has been underway since March 30, when the Dali collided with the main support column of the nearly 50-year-old bridge, tragically killing six construction workers.

Recent efforts have been focused on cleaning debris from the vessel’s starboard side.

Images and video footage show the meticulous removal of wreckage with hydraulic claws and precision-cutting instruments.

The arduous work of recovering the body of the sixth victim, 37-year-old Baltimore native José Mynor López, was completed on Tuesday.

Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland Department of State Police, stated that as they mourn with the loved ones of the victims, they honor the memory of Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, Carlos Daniel Hernandez Estrella, Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, José Mynor López, Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval, and Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez.

Despite the grief, officials remain focused on the work ahead.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore expressed confidence in the operation’s progress, stating that as soon as the precision cutting is completed, they will have the tools to remove the steel from the water, safely refloat the M/V Dali, and reopen the federal channel.

The timeframe for reopening the channel remains ambitious. Officials aim to remove the truss, refloat the Dali, and establish a 45-foot-deep waterway for ship traffic by May 10.

Plans for a permanent 700-foot wide, 50-foot deep channel to restore important trade routes into the Port of Baltimore are scheduled to be completed by the end of May.

The financial consequences of the channel blockage are significant, with insurers anxiously monitoring developments.

While the entire magnitude of the financial fallout is unknown, rescue efforts continue unabated, motivated by a shared desire to restore order to Baltimore’s bustling maritime operations.

Reference: New York Post

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