(ReclaimingAmerica.net) – After almost two months of this awful tragedy, authorities found the body of José Mynor López, the final victim of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, to be pulled from the Patapsco River.
Six weeks ago, a colossal cargo ship collided with a support beam, causing the bridge and the construction crew on it to plunge into the river. Since then, efforts have been ongoing to recover the bodies of all six men who died in the tragedy.
Even though the process has been challenging, crews are still working to clear the bridge wreckage from the shipping channel. Precision explosive charges are slated for deployment to dislodge the bridge section entangled with the ship.
Wilmer Lopez Orellana, the found victim body’s uncle, said in Spanish he had not heard about the recovery but that it would be “good news” that teams had found his nephew’s body.
Likewise, he expressed the family’s hopes that López’s mother will bury him in Guatemala. He left behind four children.
Director of the Immigrant Advocacy Group CASA Gustavo Torres said in an email that although it was a difficult time for the victim’s families, he was proud of the work the crew was doing to bring these men home to their families.
“These six men gave so much to their community and this country. Miguel was recovered on International Workers Day; a just reminder of their contributions and the perils workers face,” he added.
Pascual Magaña, a former colleague of López, remembers his friend, whom he described as affable and passionate about music. For Magaña, the discovery brings a sense of closure, yet the pain of loss lingers.
Melvin Ruiz, another acquaintance of López, echoes the sentiment and acknowledges the bittersweet relief of finally locating his friend’s remains.
Meanwhile, in Honduras, Maynor Suazo Sandoval’s return home for burial underscores the global reach of the tragedy.
His brother, Martín, recalls him as a generous soul with aspirations stifled by limited opportunities, a common tale among those who seek a better life abroad.
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