Business
Baltimore bridge collapse: Divers find two bodies in submerged truck
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.
(BBC)
ASUS and Republic of Gamers (ROG) Sri Lanka officially launched their latest suite of computing innovations, setting a new benchmark for ultra-portability, AI acceleration, and next-generation gaming experiences in the country.
Unveiled at Shangri La, Colombo on May 7th, the lineup includes five cutting-edge laptops designed to cater to students, professionals, gamers, and creators, marking a transformative leap for Sri Lanka’s tech landscape.
Leading the charge is the ASUS Zenbook A14, the world’s lightest Copilot+ PC at just 980 grams. Featuring a durable Ceraluminum chassis, Snapdragon X processor, and a 45 TOPS NPU for AI tasks, it boasts an ASUS Lumina OLED display, up to 32-hour battery life, Wi-Fi 7, and 1 TB SSD storage. Meanwhile, the gaming-focused ROG Strix SCAR 16/18 and Zephyrus G16 pack Intel Core Ultra 9 processors and NVIDIA RTX 5090 GPUs, paired with 240Hz Mini-LED displays, customizable RGB lighting, and advanced cooling systems for marathon sessions.
“Our mission is to push boundaries in performance and design,” said Eric Ou, ASUS South Asia’s Regional Head, emphasizing the brand’s commitment to innovation. The new devices blend portability with power, offering AI-enhanced workflows and gaming prowess.With multi-day battery life and groundbreaking specs, ASUS aims to redefine how Sri Lankans work, create, and play.
By Sanath Nanayakkare
Business
Direct Kitchens opens flagship Colombo showroom blending Australian luxury design with local elegance
Direct Kitchens, Melbourne’s premier designer and manufacturer of high-end custom kitchens, marked a significant milestone with the launch of its first international showroom in Colombo, bringing over 40 years of world-class kitchen design expertise to sophisticated Sri Lankan homeowners. Located at No. 314, R.A. De Mel Mawatha, Colombo 03, the new Experience Centre reflects the brand’s commitment to luxury, craftsmanship, and innovation.
The soft launch of the showroom was attended by select invitees including Nalin Herath, Chairman and Managing Director of Home Lands Group, who graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, along with industry professionals and well-wishers.
For over three decades, Direct Kitchens has earned a stellar reputation in Australia for creating bespoke, luxurious kitchens that are as functional as they are visually stunning. From sleek modern designs to timeless French provincial and country styles, each kitchen is crafted with precision, using the finest materials and cutting-edge technology. The brand also specializes in a range of custom interior solutions including pantry units, wardrobes, closets, laundry units, and more—tailored to suit the lifestyle and aesthetic of each client. Direct Kitchens Sri Lanka is a subsidiary of Home Lands Group, Sri Lanka’s leading real estate solutions provider.
The Colombo Experience Centre marks the beginning of Direct Kitchens’ global journey in redefining sophisticated living spaces. Visitors to the showroom can explore a curated selection of premium kitchen displays, cabinetry styles, finishes, and fittings—guided by a team of expert designers who offer personalized consultations and complete project management services.
Speaking at the launch, Amaya Herath, Director of Direct Kitchens Sri Lanka, stated, “We are proud to bring the legacy of Direct Kitchens to Sri Lanka and offer homeowners here access to a new standard in luxury interior solutions. Our Experience Centre is more than just a showroom—it’s a space where creativity, lifestyle, and functionality meet. With our decades of expertise and design excellence, we look forward to helping our clients transform their homes into elegant, purposeful spaces.”
Harold Samuel, a British real estate mogul is credited with the phrase- location, location, location, a sentiment that will forever be pertinent and one that is evident when you behold W15 Ambuluwawa, a white clad stunning boutique hotel perched atop an outcrop of land in Gampola, offering 360-degree views of hills wearing jade and crowns of white clouds. It is a magical place that invites guests to leave the ordinary behind and step into the extraordinary and be enveloped with an utter stillness of being and a peace that transcends quiet.
W15 Ambuluwawa is indeed a rare find, a gem that has been recently added to adorn the W15 Collection, a group of luxurious boutique hotels dotted across some of the most beautiful locations in Sri Lanka. The first boutique hotel to be opened within the Ambuluwawa biodiversity project, W15 Ambuluwawa, with one master suite, 4 deluxe and 3 standard rooms, has been designed with responsibility to the surroundings and sustainability at its core. The ingenuity of architectural genius is displayed from every space in this breathtaking property as the exterior beauty is captured through floor to ceiling windows, a spacious patio and a sundeck.
Guests can expect W15’s signature exceptional service with a large staff cadre and a personal butler assigned to each room, an extraordinary al-fresco dining experience where tastebuds will be tantalized while nature paints the skies with vivid hues and birdsong provides a harmony of background music. Evenings are for breathtaking sunsets to be imbued into your restless soul while you sip a sundowner on the patio.
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