Fifth Body Found Over A Month After Baltimore Bridge Collapse

Grieving families of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse are closer to achieving peace for their lost relatives as five out of six victims have been recovered.

According to new reports, salvage teams recently discovered the fifth body from the bridge's wreckage. The deceased belonged to the missing construction workers who tragically went down with the bridge when a cargo ship struck one of its support pillars.

The discovery of the fifth victim's body was made when salvage teams found a missing construction vehicle in the Patapsco River. They reported their findings to the Maryland State Police Department, whose underwater recovery team joined forces with other agencies.

These agencies, including the FBI, assisted in lifting the body from the water. Then, the recovered victim was identified as Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez, a 49-year-old man from Glen Burnie.

Gonzalez's recovery comes weeks after the fourth victim's body was found in the bridge's wreckage. The deceased was recovered on April 15, with the superintendent of the Maryland Department of State Police, Colonel Roland L. Butler Jr., addressing the news with a poignant statement.

"As we mourn the lives lost and continue the recovery operation, we recognize each missing individual is someone's beloved friend or family member," Butler said, echoing similar sentiments about Gonzalez's discovery per Fox News.

The Superintendent of the Maryland State Police Department addressed the recovery of the fifth victim's body in a press release, saying:

"We remain dedicated to the ongoing recovery operations while knowing behind each person lost in this tragedy lies a loving family."

Aside from his promise to continue the recovery mission, Butler implored the public to sympathize with the grieving families. His statement continued:

"Along with our local, state, and federal partners, we ask that everyone extend their deepest sympathies and support to the families during this difficult time."

As previously reported by The Blast, Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed on March 26 while multiple contractors were working on "concrete deck" repairs.

At the time, James Wallace, chief of the Baltimore City Fire Department, addressed the situation in a press conference.

According to Wallace, the construction workers and several cars plunged into the Patapsco River following the bridge's collapse. However, two people were rescued in the initial hours of an emergency response.

Unfortunately, one of the rescued victims was in "very serious condition," while the other was unharmed. Meanwhile, the crew members of the cargo ship responsible for the accident were stuck on the vessel until rescuers could access the ship for damages.

Last month, The Blast shared that the cargo ship responsible for the Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge's collapse was being investigated. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) opened a criminal investigation into the vessel.

The cargo ship named Dali was being investigated to determine if its collision with the bridge was accidental or an act of negligence.

Their investigation would primarily look into what happened when the ship left the port, but part of their probing would also focus on the vessel's crew.

Baltimore's FBI, per sources, was questioning if Dali's personnel knew the vessel had potential mechanical problems that would have made it unsafe in the harbor.

They were also collecting physical evidence and data from inside the ship. This information was reportedly related to the moments before, during, and after the Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

The FBI's investigation into the Dali came at the heels of Baltimore's Mayor, Brandon M. Scott, powerful declaration against those responsible for the bridge's collapse.

Scott claimed the city was taking "legal steps" to address the situation. This involved hiring law firms "to launch legal action to hold the wrongdoers responsible and to mitigate the immediate and long-term harm caused to Baltimore City residents." In his words: 

"The City of Baltimore will take decisive action to hold responsible all entities accountable for the Key Bridge tragedy, including the owner, charterer, manager/operator, and the manufacturer of the M/V Dali, as well as any other potentially liable third parties."