Crews Begin Removing Containers From Cargo Ship That Destroyed Key Bridge

Salvage crews have started removing cargo containers from the ship that crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last month. Unified Command said the work began on Sunday (April 7) and will continue until they can access the massive pieces of the bridge that are resting on the M/V Dali.

Removing those pieces is a significant step in clearing the debris and reopening the shipping channel to commercial traffic. It will also allow them to move the massive cargo ship.

"The Unified Command is concurrently progressing on its main lines of effort to remove enough debris to open the channel to larger commercial traffic, refloat the M/V Dali, and continue recovery efforts for missing loved ones," Coast Guard Capt. David O'Connell, federal on-scene coordinator, Unified Command, said in a statement. "Every day we are working to achieve these goals safely and efficiently."

The Army Corps of Engineers hopes to have the debris cleared by the end of May, allowing commercial traffic at the Port of Baltimore to return to "normal capacity."