Explosives to be used to help free Dali from Baltimore bridge wreckage

“It’s the safest means for the crew members who are actually working on removing that span,” Hodges said. “On top of the fact that it’s a lot faster of a method.”

For weeks since the deadly bridge collapse on March 26, crew members working atop cranes have been painstakingly cutting into steel pieces to prepare sections for removal. The use of explosives should help accelerate the salvage process and minimize risk to the crane operators working under tough conditions.

A spokesperson for the Dali ship’s owners said that authorities have communicated their plan and that company representatives remain on site.

“Safety is everyone’s top priority,” spokesman Darrell Wilson said, adding he trusts the experts’ assessment and plan. “Within the salvage community, some of the best experts in that field are in Baltimore working on this response.”

The latest development comes as salvage teams located remains of construction worker José Mynor López, the final missing victim of the collapse, Tuesday.

“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,” said Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., superintendent of the Maryland Department of State Police.

The precision explosive method of extricating the ship from the wreckage is planned to be a “multiday process” with a fluid timeline dependent on cooperative weather.

The Port of Baltimore announced last week that the 45-foot Fort McHenry limited access channel would be reopened “on or about May 10 following the expected removal of the Dali vessel.”

Officials are doing everything they can to prevent further damage, Hodges said, adding any potential impacts would be analyzed before refloating it from the water.

Hodges noted the process is similar to the one used in demolishing the Gov. Harry W. Nice Bridge in 2023.