Salvage teams have recovered the body of a sixth construction worker, believed to be the last victim who went missing after the March 26 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
The victim was identified as 37-year-old José Mynor López of Baltimore. His body was found on May 7 at the scene of the bridge’s collapse, according to the Key Bridge Response Unified Command.
The Maryland State Police, along with an FBI victim specialist and linguist, and a team of mental health professionals have notified the victim’s family members after a positive identification was made.
“With heavy hearts, today marks a significant milestone in our recovery efforts and providing closure to the loved ones of the six workers who lost their lives in this tragic event,” Col. Roland Butler Jr., superintendent of the Maryland Department of State Police, said in a statement.
“As we mourn with the families, we honor the memory of Jose Mynor Lopez, Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval, Carlos Daniel Hernández Estrella, and Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez.”
“It is impossible to overstate how important it is that we’ve been able to bring each of these Marylanders home to their families, and the small amount of peace and closure to their families it brings,” he said.
“As we close this chapter in this effort and continue the work of fully reopening the channel, we will never forget to center the loss that we felt as a result of this unthinkable tragedy and the lives that were forever changed as a result.”
A massive cargo ship lost power and struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the early hours of March 26, causing it to collapse. Eight construction workers were repairing potholes on the bridge at the time of the crash. Two were rescued, and the remaining six went missing.
The missing victims were presumed dead after the Coast Guard ended its search in March. Col. Butler has described the bridge’s collapse as “one of the most challenging tragedies” that the department has faced.
The bodies of two workers—Mr. Fuentes, 35, and Mr. Cabrera, 26–were recovered from a submerged pickup truck on March 27. The body of the third victim, Mr. Suazo-Sandoval, 38, was recovered on April 5.
The state plans to build a new span by the fall of 2028, according to David Broughton, a spokesperson for the Maryland Department of Transportation. He noted that the cost estimate is preliminary and that detailed engineering specifics have not been confirmed.
