Crews on Friday recovered the body of a third construction worker who died in the collapse of a bridge in Baltimore as divers continue searching for additional victims who officials believe are trapped under the wreckage.
Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval’s body was found Friday morning, officials said. The discovery came amid salvage efforts to haul away tons of steel debris that officials have said prevented divers from locating multiple victims who were on the Francis Scott Key Bridge when it was rammed by a large container ship and collapsed into the water last week.
The Keybridge Joint Information Center said in a statement its salvage dive teams located the 38-year-old construction worker and notified Maryland State Police Friday morning.
A police underwater recovery team was deployed with dive teams from other law enforcement agencies and recovered Suazo Sandoval’s body, according to the statement.
“Maryland is praying for the family of Maynor Yasir Suazo Sandoval and all of his loved ones. They have our thoughts, our hearts, and our support,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said in a statement.
“On the night of the collapse, these men were engaged in challenging, dangerous work – tending to our state’s infrastructure for our collective benefit,” the governor said. “They hailed from communities that have gone long overlooked and underappreciated. But their work had dignity – and their contributions will never be forgotten.”
Carlos Suazo Sandoval, Maynor’s brother, told CNN authorities informed the family of the discovery.
Suazo Sandoval is the third construction worker whose body has been recovered since the bridge collapsed in the early morning hours of March 26.
A total of six construction workers who were on the bridge repairing potholes died when the ship collided with the bridge, causing much of it to collapse into the Patapsco River.
Suazo Sandoval moved from Santa Bárbara in Honduras to the US 18 years ago for a better life, CNN previously reported.
He was married with two children – an 18-year-old son and a 5-year-old daughter, his brother said.
One of eight siblings, Suazo Sandoval was described by his brother Carlos Suazo, who lives in Baltimore, as a kind and joyful person who had “vision.”