Baltimore tragedy: Sonar images show remnants of Francis Scott Key Bridge lying in Patapsco River

New sonar images have revealed the destroyed remains of the Francis Scott Key Bridge lying at the bottom of the Patapsco River. The 3D images offer a scary glimpse into the once-famous bridge lying in the dark waters.

The photos were posted on X by the US Army Corps of Engineers, which noted that they were “supplied by the @USNavy Naval Sea System Command (NAVSEA)”. “Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), shows the wreckage resting at the bottom of the river where the Francis Scott Key Bridge once stood,” the post reads.

In the thread, it wrote, “The underwater sonar imaging tool, known as CODA Octopus, is the primary survey tool used by divers, with visibility clouded to just one to two feet because of the four to five feet of mud and loose bottom of the Patapsco River.”

“Divers are working in virtual darkness because when lit their view is similar to driving through a heavy snowfall at night with high-beam headlights on -- divers must be guided via detailed verbal directions from operators in vessels topside viewing real-time CODA imagery,” it added.

Cargo ship’s manager files court petition

This week, the owner and manager of a cargo ship that rammed into the Baltimore bridge filed a court petition seeking to limit their legal liability for the disaster. The companies’ “limitation of liability” is a procedure for cases that are litigated under the US maritime law. It is a deferral court in Maryland that decides who is responsible for the catastrophe, and how much they owe.

When the bridge collapsed, eight people were working on the highway bridge. Six people died as a result of the tragedy – all of them members of a construction crew who were working to refill potholes on the bridge. Two bodies in a pickup truck were later recovered by authorities, submerged in the Patapsco River.