The 985-foot-long ship that slammed a crucial part of the bridge on Tuesday led it to collapse, shocking Baltimore and the maritime community as a whole.
Two of the six men, who were all construction workers fixing potholes on the bridge, whose bodies were discovered on Wednesday, went missing following the collapse.
Because divers can no longer access the location where they think there are further casualties, officials have canceled the search for the remaining missing men, who are assumed dead, and have instead focused on a cleanup effort.
A powerful floating crane with a remarkable history has arrived to assist in the cleanup efforts following the devastating Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore.
The Chesapeake 1000, capable of carrying up to 1,000 tons, has been deployed to the wreckage site in the Patapsco River, where the remains of four construction workers are still missing after Tuesday’s tragic incident.
This formidable crane’s origins trace back to the Cold War era and the CIA’s secret “Project AZORIAN” mission.
Originally built in 1972 as the Sun 800, it played a pivotal role in constructing the Hughes Glomar Explorer, a deep-sea vessel used by the CIA to recover a sunken Soviet nuclear submarine in the Pacific Ocean – an operation the CIA deemed one of the “greatest intelligence coups of the Cold War.”
The collapse occurred after a cargo freighter, the Dali, collided with the bridge around 1:30 am. The National Transportation Safety Board is currently investigating the incident. Suggested Read Also: Catastrophic Bridge Collapse in Baltimore – Supply Chain Chaos and Multiple Casualties Feared
After its initial role in this clandestine CIA mission, the crane’s capacity was increased from 800 to 1,000 tons, and it was eventually acquired by the New Jersey-based Donjon Marine Co. Inc. in 1993.
Today, the Chesapeake 1000 stands as an impressive engineering feat, measuring nearly 200 feet long with a 231-foot boom. Maryland Governor Wes Moore has described it as “the largest crane in the Eastern seaboard,” highlighting its formidable capabilities for the ongoing cleanup.
The crane’s arrival comes after a cargo ship named Dali struck a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday, causing a catastrophic collapse that claimed six lives.
As the Unified Command continues to assess the situation, concerns have been raised regarding potential environmental hazards, with on-scene crews monitoring for spilled oils and hazardous substances, including a reported sheen around the vessel and 14 impacted containers that contained hazardous materials.
With its rich history and impressive capabilities, the Chesapeake 1000 is poised to play a crucial role in the ongoing cleanup efforts, offering a tangible link to the past while addressing the present challenges. As Baltimore mourns the lives lost and grapples with this tragedy’s aftermath, the deployment of this powerful crane serves as a symbol of resilience and a testament to human ingenuity in the face of adversity.
