Bridge collapse: Temporary channel opens for boats working on response

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Friday outlined several goals in the aftermath of the bridge collapse, describing the scope of the disaster as a freight nearly the size of the Eiffel Tower "with the Key Bridge resting on top of it," and shipping containers "ripped in half as if they were papier-maché."

Moore told reporters the Unified Command continues to focus on recovery efforts to help bring "closure" to victims’ families.

He said as soon as conditions in the water are safe enough, divers will go back in the water to look for the four victims who are still missing.

Another priority is clearing the blocked channel, he said, stressing that the Port of Baltimore must reopen for the "health" of the Maryland economy and U.S. economy.

Moore also promised to rebuild the bridge, and to take care of everyone impacted by the crisis, including the families, workers, businesses and first responders.

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Gov. Moore: 'We are going to rise to meet this moment'

Maryland Governor Wes Moore says rebuilding the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge will wait for the wreckage to be cleared.

ABCNews.com

President Joe Biden plans to visit Baltimore next week with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, he told reporters on Friday.

The Biden administration approved $60 million in emergency relief funds for rebuilding the bridge hours after receiving the request from the state of Maryland, the White House said Thursday.

"The federal emergency funds we're releasing today will help Maryland begin urgent work, to be followed by further resources as recovery and rebuilding efforts progress," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. "President Biden has been clear: the federal government will do everything it takes to help rebuild the bridge and get the Port of Baltimore back open."

The Chesapeake 1000 crane -- capable of lifting roughly 2.2 million pounds at a time -- arrived at the bridge at 11 p.m. Thursday, according to the bridge response Unified Command.

The piece of steel on the bow of the ship weighs roughly 9 million pounds.

Engineers will need to figure out exactly how and where to cut the steel to ensure no further danger will be posed to construction crews or the ship, the Unified Command said. Once the engineers determine where and how to cut the steel, they will begin to remove it from the ship in multiple pieces, the Unified Command said.

The Unified Command is made up of agencies including the Coast Guard, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Maryland State Police.

-ABC News’ Sam Sweeney

At least one large vehicle is still submerged under the murky Patapsco River, the Secretary of the Maryland State Police, Col. Roland L. Butler, Jr., said Thursday night.

Officials said they believe the vehicle belonged to the crew that was working on the bridge at the time of the collapse.

Pieces of the bridge, concrete and rebar also are in the water, Butler said.

“It's going to take some time to get to that and it's going to take some time to do carefully, and then to shore that up before we can put an end to recovering whatever's in that vehicle,” Butler said.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott told reporters Thursday night he remains hopeful that the four victims who are still missing will be recovered.

“We remain hopeful that in the course of this salvage work, we are able to recover those who remain missing and bring them home,” Scott said.

-ABC News’ Beatrice Peterson