Coast Guard helicopter and vessels continue search for missing persons amid Baltimore bridge collapse

A helicopter and three coast guard vessels continued their recovery efforts Tuesday in the Patapsco River in Baltimore, as the search for the at least seven missing after a cargo ship collided with the Francis Scott Key bridge.

Authorities said in a press conference that federal, local and state agents participated in a joint effort to address what the mayor of Baltimore, Brandon Scott has described as a “tragedy.”

Journalists were kept a mile from the disaster scene, and the port, one of the largest and busiest on the planet, was closed until further notice, although workers continued to load and unload trucks.

The accident took place around 1:30 local time (05:30 GMT), when the freighter “Dali” collided with a bridge built 47 years ago in 1977, causing its collapse.

Two people were rescued, one was seriously injured, and at least seven others are being sought. Still, authorities have ruled out offering a definitive figure of casualties.

Workers were in the area at that time carrying out asphalt repair work and the authorities have reported that their sonar equipment has identified cars submerged underwater.

Secretary of Transportation of Maryland, Paul Wiedefeld told press that the low temperature of the water, its depth, about 15 meters, and the darkness when the event occurred have made recovery work difficult.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has declared a state of emergency due to the bridge collapse, which has also blocked parts of Interstate-95 route, one of the most widely traveled thoroughfares on the eastern U.S. coastline.

“It is a very complicated situation,” he said in one of the many appearances planned throughout the day to offer the latest details.

The FBI is also part of the open investigation, but so far there are signs of a terrorist attack.

“In any type of incident like this they would be involved,” Wiedefeld explained, specifying that the search “is still active.”