Biden visits Baltimore, tours collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge

BALTIMORE — President Joe Biden traveled to Baltimore on Friday to see efforts to clear away the tons of metal left in the Patapsco River after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed last week, blocking a key shipping channel and leaving six people dead.

>> Read more trending news

The bridge fell into the river early on the morning of March 26 after one of its supporting columns was struck by a cargo ship, the Dali, as it was leaving Baltimore.

‘We’re going to continue to have your back,’ Biden says during Baltimore visit

Update 3:35 p.m. EDT April 5: Speaking after attending an operational briefing on Friday, Biden again vowed that the federal government will support Maryland’s efforts to recover from last week’s bridge collapse in Baltimore.

“We’re going to continue to have your back, every step of the way,” the president said. “I guarantee you.”

Earlier, federal officials made $60 million of federal funding available to aid in the cleanup and recovery efforts. Biden said, “We’re going to move heaven and earth to rebuild this bridge as rapidly as humanly possible, and we’re going to do so with union labor and American steel.”

“My administration is committed, absolutely committed to ensuring that the parties responsible for this tragedy pay to repair the damage and be held accountable to the fullest extent the law will allow,” he added. “But I also want to be clear — we will support Maryland and Baltimore every step of the way to help you rebuild and maintain all the business and commerce that is here now.”

Biden tours site of collapse

Update 2:50 p.m. EDT April 5: Biden saw the wreckage left by the bridge collapse from the air on Friday.

With him were Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, White House deputy chief of staff Natalie Quillian, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Linda Fagan and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon.

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 15

Biden visits Baltimore after Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse President Joe Biden speaks to members of the media on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One in Washington, D.C., on Friday, April 5, 2024. The Biden administration urged Congress to fully fund the reconstruction of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge in a letter to key lawmakers prior to his visit to the bridge wreckage on Friday. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Original report: Eight construction workers were fixing potholes on the bridge when it fell. Two survived after falling into the water. The bodies of two others were found after the collapse, and four others are believed to be dead.

On Friday afternoon, Biden will tour the site of the collapsed bridge by air before joining a briefing on response and recovery efforts. He will deliver remarks on the government’s response later Friday before meeting with families who lost loved ones in the collapse.

Over the weekend, officials began work to remove debris from the area. Authorities opened a temporary channel Monday which gave some ships access to the port. A second temporary channel opened on the southwest side of the main channel on Tuesday.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which maintains the shipping channel, said Thursday that it expects to open a temporary channel by the end of April to allow access for container vessels and some that ship automobiles and farm equipment.

The Port of Baltimore is a key automobile hub for the U.S. In 2023, it recorded its 13th-straight year as the top U.S. port for vehicles, with more than 847,000 handled, according to Maryland officials. It was the top port for automobiles, light trucks, farm and construction machinery, imported sugar and imported gypsum, officials said.

“The port here in Baltimore does the most vehicle handling of any port at all, and that’s just talking about the vehicle side,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said last week. “There is no question that this will be a major and protected impact to supply chains.”

Federal officials have vowed to support Baltimore through its recovery. Authorities made $60 million in emergency relief funds available hours after the incident. Biden also said the federal government should cover the cost of rebuilding the bridge.

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 34

Bridge collapse Parts of the Francis Scott Key Bridge remain after a container ship collided with a support Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Baltimore. The major bridge in Baltimore snapped and collapsed after a container ship rammed into it early Tuesday, and several vehicles fell into the river below. Rescuers were searching for multiple people in the water. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark) (Steve Ruark/AP)

© 2024 Cox Media Group