Satellite images of Baltimore bridge before and after collapse are released

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Satellite imaging company Maxar has released images of the Francis Scott Key Bridge before and after it was catastrophically struck by the cargo ship DALI.

The bridge collapsed after the DALI crashed into it at 1:30AM local time on Tuesday, March 26.

The Singapore-flagged cargo ship lost power and collided with one of the bridge’s pillars, immediately destroying the central and southern components of the structure.

Key Bridge Accident
Credit: The Washington Post / Getty

Soon after, the northern component of the bridge also collapsed, resulting in a complete end to the 47-year-old bridge.

The crash sent several vehicles and eight construction workers into the Patapsco River. Two people were rescued and six remain missing.

Key Bridge Accident
Credit: The Washington Post / Getty

In one of the satellite images released by Maxar, the bridge is shown pre-collision.

After the crash, the images show the vessel wedged between the 1.6-mile bridge in Baltimore.

The pictures show also show the search teams around the crash site.

A staggering 3,300 feet of the structure fell into the water when the container ship struck the bridge, with chunks of it seen beneath the water in the Maxar photos.

Check out the images:

The bridge, which consisted of four lanes of traffic, was a vital part of Interstate 695 and carried more than 11 million people each year.

The US Coast Guard confirmed it had suspended its search and rescue efforts for the six people still missing, who are now presumed dead, per BBC News.

“I’d like to announce tonight that based on the length of time that we’ve gone in this search, the extensive search efforts we’ve put into it, the water temperature, that at this point we do not believe that we’re going to find any of these individuals still alive,” Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday evening, via CNN.

Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapses After Being Struck By Cargo Ship
Credit: Tasos Katopodis / Getty

“We are going to suspend the active search and rescue efforts. Coast Guard’s not going away, none of our partners are going away, but we’re just going to transition to a different phase,” Gilreath added.

Construction workers had been working to fix potholes on the bridge for Brawner Builders. No bodies have been found as of yet.

According to the Guatemalan consulate, two of the men were from Guatemala. One of the men was in his 20s, another in his 30s, and another worker was a 40-year-old father of three from El Salvador. The six missing men were immigrants to the United States, from Latino backgrounds.

Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapses After Being Struck By Cargo Ship
Credit: Kevin Dietsch / Getty

Luna's wife, Maria del Carmen Castellon, has since spoken to Spanish-language outlet Telemundo 4. She said: "They only tell us that we have to wait, that for now, they can't give us information," earlier in the day.

"[We feel] devastated, devastated because our heart is broken because we don't know if they've rescued them yet. We're just waiting to hear any news."

Jeffrey Pritzker, the executive vice president of Brawner Builders, said the team had been working on the middle section of the bridge when it was struck by the vessel, NBC News reports.

Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapses After Being Struck By Cargo Ship
Credit: Rob Carr / Getty

Early on Tuesday (March 26), a call came over the Maryland Transportation Authority's first responder radio. A ship had lost its ability to steer and authorities were tasked with stopping traffic.

It took no more than a couple of minutes for officials to stop traffic on the bridge.

Officials are now focusing on  finding the bodies of the six construction workers still missing after the collision. One of the workers managed to survive the ordeal.

Early on Wednesday (March 27), a team of divers went into the river and began its search for bodies.

Featured image credit: Scott Olson / Getty