Business

Baltimore bridge collapse: Divers find two bodies in submerged truck

Published

2 years ago

2024/03/28

Priyan

The bodies of two people have been recovered from a red pickup truck, which was under water where the Baltimore bridge collapsed.

Eight construction workers were on the bridge when a ship struck it, plunging them into the waters below. Two of the workers were rescued on the day, but the search continues for the other four – all presumed dead.

Salvage crews are working to address hazardous materials and accident investigators are on the scene.

Four of the six victims of the bridge collapse have been named so far. At a press conference on Wednesday, Maryland State Police identified Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, as the two workers recovered by divers from inside the truck. Mr Fuentes is originally from Mexico and Mr Cabrera is from Guatemala.

But divers are no longer able to safely navigate the waters because of concrete and debris found in the river, police said. They are now using sonar scans and believe that vehicles that may contain other bodies are “encased in superstructure and concrete” that came down from the bridge, an official said.

Two other missing victims, who are presumed dead, have also been named: Miguel Luna, originally from El Salvador, and Maynor Suazo Sandoval, a Honduran citizen.

Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said earlier that two of its citizens were presumed dead – one of whom is now identified as Mr Fuentes – while another was rescued from the water.

One person who was in hospital after being pulled out of the water was released, officials said late Wednesday.

First responders spent hours on Tuesday searching the waters of the Patapsco River for the six construction workers, who were working on potholes on the bridge around 01:30 (05:30 GMT) when the ship crashed into the bridge. The US Coast Guard called off the search around sunset, saying cold water temperatures and hours gone by meant the workers were presumed dead.

Officials have pledged to find the bodies of the men for their relatives. “We’ve got to give these families closure,” Wes Moore, governor of Maryland, told reporters on Wednesday, adding that air, land and water resources had been devoted to the search of the victims. “My promise to them is this: I will devote every single resource to make sure that you receive closure,” he said.

But the operation has been challenging, Coast Guard Vice Admiral Peter Gautier said on Wednesday. Divers have been swimming in chilly waters with metal debris from the bridge that fell in the river. The cargo vessel itself is stable but has over 1.5m gallons of fuel oil and lube oil on board, Mr Gautier said.

Roughly 4,700 cargo containers were also on board, including 56 that contained hazardous materials. “The Coast Guard has moved aggressively to board the vessel, and we have teams on board,” Mr Gautier said.

Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, said some containers with hazardous materials had been “breached”.

The US Navy plans to use barges with heavy lift cranes – some can carry as much as 1,000 tonnes – to remove parts of the bridge that fell in the water.

Investigations into what went wrong on the ship will be crucial, marine specialist Jim Bellingham told the BBC. “An enormous advantage is that the ship didn’t sink so they’ll get access to bridge records and hopefully recordings of what was going on,” he said. Officials are hoping that a data recorder they took from the ship overnight will provide more information.

The Dali was headed toward Sri Lanka when it lost power all of a sudden and issued a distress call before crashing into the Baltimore bridge.

Officials say the bridge collapse at a key port could pose a risk to global supply chains and the US economy.

Mr Moore said that 8,000 jobs could be affected by the bridge collapse and called the incident a “global crisis”. “The national economy and global economy depends on the port,” he said, noting that $80bn (£63.4bn) of cargo moved through there last year.

Paul Wiedefeld, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation, stressed that replacing the bridge will not be a fast process, but he promised at Wednesday’s press conference that officials are working to “come up with a design for the replacement of that bridge as quickly as possible to get the port back up and the community back up and running”.

Experts say Key Bridge’s collapse could lead to losses of up to $15m (£11.8m) per day, until the shipping lane is reopened.

US Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland said he was confident “thanks to the Biden administration” the state would get the necessary resources to recover and begin work on a replacement bridge. “Our top priority is to get the shipping lane open because of the impact it has on our country and the global supply chain,” he said.

Investigators are also hoping to determine whether dirty fuel played a role in the deadly crash. Maritime experts say contaminated fuel can cause a ship to black out as it creates problems with the vessel’s main power generators.

(BBC)

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Business

David Pieris Group expands global footprint with investment in Dubai-based Navire Logistics

Published

1 hour ago

2025/12/20

Thilina Walpola

The David Pieris Group continues to strengthen its international presence with the acquisition of 50% ownership in Navire Logistics Services L.L.C, (www.navirelogistics.com) a reputed logistics company based in Dubai and Oman. This strategic move marks a significant milestone in the Group’s journey towards expanding its operations beyond Sri Lanka and positioning itself in the international markets.

In Sri Lanka, the Group’s logistics arm, D P Logistics (Private) Limited (DPL), has already established itself as a comprehensive logistics solutions provider — covering warehousing, transportation, freight forwarding, project logistics, inland distribution and custom house brokering.

DPL currently ranks among the top ten players in warehousing and 3PL operations and holds one of the largest container fleets amongst the logistics companies in the country. Despite operating in a highly fragmented freight forwarding market, DPL continues to capture a growing share, reinforcing its reputation as one of the very few local companies with expertise across all logistics disciplines.

David Pieris Group also acquired in 2022, Pulsar Shipping Agencies (Pvt.) Limited, the shipping arm of Expolanka Holdings PLC to expand its Logistics & Shipping Cluster into ship agency, husbandry services and marine logistics.

Leveraging this strong domestic foundation, DPL has now extended its capabilities to the international stage through its partnership with Navire Logistics Services L.L.C. The company’s expertise in custom house brokering, freight forwarding, cargo consolidation, warehousing, and transport solutions will be integrated into Navire Logistics’ operations, enhancing service quality and efficiency across the Middle East and South Asia.

The investment also extends to operations in Oman through a fully owned subsidiary, with further expansion plans already underway to establish operations in Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and India — strengthening the Group’s regional logistics network.

Business

HNB strengthens national response to Cyclone Ditwah

Published

1 hour ago

2025/12/20

Thilina Walpola

HNB Managing Director / CEO, Damith Pallewatte, hands over the donation to Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake , HNB Chief Operating Officer Sanjay Wijemanne is also in the picture

HNB PLC has contributed of Rs. 100 million towards the Rebuild Sri Lanka Fund, reinforcing its commitment to national recovery efforts following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

“On behalf of HNB, I wish to convey our solidarity with all our fellow Sri Lankans, especially those severely affected by Cyclone Ditwah. As a home-grown institution, our connection to the communities we serve runs deep. Many of our customers and colleagues have been directly or indirectly affected, and we are committed to standing with them during this difficult time and supporting them as they rebuild.”

“HNB’s contribution to the Rebuild Sri Lanka Fund is a sign of our commitment to this collective mission. We recognize that this is going to be a long and challenging process, but we stand ready and committed to support both the immediate and long-term recovery effort,” HNB Managing Director/ CEO, Damith Pallewatte stated.

Complementing its direct financial support to the Fund, HNB has also launched a nationwide disaster relief initiative as the first phase of a broader, coordinated response from the bank.

As part of the program, the Bank donated over 2,500 essential relief and nutrition packages to support displaced families, with the consignments formally handed over to the Sri Lanka Army to ensure structured, transparent, and equitable distribution across the impacted areas of Kandy, Gampaha, Kaduwela, and Hanwella, while separate packages were provided to affected employees to strengthen their personal recovery.

Business

ComBank ranked No 1 in Business Today’s Top 40 for 2024–25

Published

1 hour ago

2025/12/20

Thilina Walpola

Sharhan Muhseen, Chairman, and Sanath Manatunge, Managing Director/CEO of Commercial Bank

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has been ranked No 1 in the Business Today Top 40 for 2024–25, reaffirming its position as Sri Lanka’s best-performing bank and one of the country’s top five strongest corporate entities for the 17th consecutive year.

Business Today assigned the Bank an aggregate score of 37.65, placing it at the top of its latest ranking of leading Sri Lankan enterprises.

In its presentation of the rankings, Business Today described Commercial Bank as “a beacon of resilience and renewal after a defining year,” noting that 2024 was shaped by strategic transformation, disciplined execution, and unwavering commitment to long-term sustainable growth. The publication recognised the Bank’s strength across key business lines, its deepened customer focus, and a performance trajectory that reinforced its reputation as Sri Lanka’s most resilient and customer-centric financial institution.

Reflecting on the ranking, Mr Sanath Manatunge, Managing Director/CEO of Commercial Bank said: “Being ranked No 1 in the Business Today Top 40 is a powerful endorsement of the discipline, resilience and purpose with which we steered the Bank through a year of tough conditions and decisive transformation. Our performance in 2024 was defined by navigating turbulence without losing sight of our priorities: strengthening fundamentals, supporting customers, and preparing the institution for long-term growth. This ranking is not merely an award; it is confirmation that our strategy is delivering results and that the Bank is firmly positioned to contribute to national progress with renewed confidence.”

Business Today also highlighted the Bank’s record-breaking financial performance during the year. The magazine quoted Mr Sharhan Muhseen, Chairman of Commercial Bank as saying that the Bank had delivered the highest profits in its history, and attributing this outcome to a disciplined focus on efficiency, digital innovation, and customer-centred transformation. These qualities, the publication stated, enabled the Bank to strengthen its market position and make meaningful contributions to economic recovery.

Among the milestones recognised were an equity capital infusion of Rs. 22.54 billion through a rights issue and the raising of Rs. 20 billion in Tier II capital via a debenture issue.