President Biden has promised that he will visit Baltimore “as soon as possible” where six people are still unaccounted for after a major bridge collapsed when a cargo ship hit it.
“People of Baltimore, we’re with you,” he said, as he added the search and rescue operation was a “top priority”.
The US president said the US federal government will cover the “full cost” of rebuilding the bridge.
The 1.6-mile long Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River after it was hit by a 289m-long cargo ship at 1.30am local time (5.30am UK time) on Tuesday.
Six people remain unaccounted for after dramatic footage showed vehicles falling from the structure as the road surface and steel beams crashed into the water.
Baltimore bridge latest: Follow live updates
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In an update on Tuesday afternoon, Wes Moore, governor of Baltimore, and Paul Wiedefeld, secretary of the Maryland Transport Authority, said those still missing are believed to be construction workers who were on the bridge fixing potholes.
Baltimore bridge collapse latest: Ship lost power and sent mayday before crash; six people missing
Rescue ongoing as cars and people fall into water after ship strike causes Baltimore bridge to collapse
Baltimore bridge collapse: What do we know about the incident and the cargo ship?
Two people were rescued from the water with one of them described as being in a “very serious condition” in hospital. The other was not injured.
Baltimore fire department’s communications chief Kevin Cartwright has said there were multiple vehicles on the bridge when it was struck by the ship, one of which was the size of a tractor trailer.
Rescue ongoing as cars and people fall into water after ship strike causes bridge to collapse
CCTV and marine tracking data shows the ship, known as the Dali, lost power, adjusted its course and started smoking about 60 seconds before it hit the bridge.
According to the timings on the CCTV, the vessel hit the structure at 1.28:44am – with the bridge collapsing four seconds later.
All 22 crew members on board the ship, including the two pilots, have been accounted for and there were no reports of injuries.
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