A third body has been found at the site of the March 26 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. Authorities announced Friday evening that salvage divers recovered a third body from the water, identified as 38-year-old Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval, one of the missing workers. His body was found around 10:30am local time. Maryland State Police Superintendent Col. Roland L. Butler said authorities are committed to recovering the bodies of the three workers who remain missing, per the AP. "While I take solace in knowing this brings us one step closer to closure, my heart continues to be with all the families still waiting anxiously for their loved ones," Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said in a statement. Other developments:
- Cleanup timeline: Engineers said Thursday they expect to restore navigation in and out of the Port of Baltimore by the end of this month. The US Army Corps of Engineers said it expects to open a limited-access channel in the next four weeks that would support barge container service and some vessels that move automobiles and farm equipment to and from the port. The agency is aiming to reopen a permanent navigation channel by the end of May.
- Affected workers, businesses: Isabel Casillas Guzman, administrator of the Small Business Administration, visited Baltimore on Thursday to highlight a low-interest loan program that's available to affected businesses. The program has received 500 applications, Guzman said, and the funds could start being distributed within about two weeks. The loans will help keep companies afloat, as Baltimore's vital port remains closed to most maritime traffic.
- Safety measures: The bridge worker deaths have raised questions about whether the company they worked for took proper precautions, including keeping a safety boat nearby that might have been able to warn them at least a few seconds before impact. Federal regulations require construction companies to keep such boats, commonly known as skiffs, on hand whenever crews are working over waterways, safety experts say. There's no indication that the company, Brawner, had a rescue boat on the water or ready to be launched as the bridge fell. Even if the workers had been warned that the giant ship was about to hit, it's unclear if they would've had enough time to scramble to safety.
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