french tourist missing nz

Emotional plea from parents of French teen missing in NZ

Eloi Jean Rolland. (Source: 1News)

The parents of a French teenager who went missing in Auckland just over two years ago are appealing to the public for help.

Eloi Rolland, who was 18 at the time, has not been seen since March 2020, right before New Zealand's first Covid-19 lockdown.

He was last seen on the morning of Saturday March 7 . Cellphone records indicate he was in the area of Piha Road at 9.18am that day.

Eloi Rolland hasn’t been seen since March 2020 and it’s thought he went missing on Auckland’s west coast.

Due to the pandemic, his parents Catherine and Thierry Rolland haven't been able to get to New Zealand until now, where they are seeking the public's help.

On Thursday they appeared on Breakfast and spoke through an interpreter.

"We're here [in New Zealand] to call for all witnesses to come forward," Thierry said.

Catherine and Thierry Rolland. (Source: Breakfast)

"He came to New Zealand to perfect his English, to discover your beautiful country New Zealand and to become independent."

Rolland came to New Zealand on a nine month student visa.

"If anybody can give a sign of him, that he's well, happy, just something like that then I'd be happy," Catherine said.

She said she believes there are two possible scenarios about what happened to her son: One that he's had a mental break down and got lost, or he's had an accident.

"We'd like the search to keep on going, and all the people who met him in his last few days say Eloi is optimistic, he's open, he's kind."

Anyone with information about Eloi Rolland's disappearance is urged to contact police.

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Parents of missing French teen arrive in NZ

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There's been no trace of Eloi Rolland since the morning of March 7, 2020, when the 18-year-old rose before dawn and took public transport - CCTV for which last captured him walking down Fruitvale Rd - to the West Auckland beach.

Cellphone data would later place him near the Piha Rd and Scenic Drive intersection at 9.18am.

Since then, despite multiple searches and a police investigation, Rolland's fate remains unknown.

Days after Rolland's disappearance, New Zealand closed its borders to non-residents as the Covid-19 pandemic worsened, preventing the teen's parents from travelling to join searchers.

This month, days after the country opened its borders to vaccinated travellers from visa waiver countries, such as France, Rolland's parents Catherine and Thierry arrived in New Zealand.

"Hi everyone, Catherine and Thierry Rolland are currently in … Auckland looking for our missing son Éloi Rolland," a post on Thierry Rolland's Facebook said.\ Included was a link to a video of them speaking to their son.

"We are here … we leave you our message to tell you that we love you," Thierry Rolland said on the video posted on social media.

"And that if you need us, do not hesitate to reach out," he added, referring to an email address for his son to make contact - [email protected]

"We would like to take you in our arms and kiss you very hard."

Rolland arrived in New Zealand in September 2019 to learn English.

The Montepellier native was fired from two hospitality jobs, one after a mid-February incident where he ran around dining tables saying his had coronavirus.

Another encounter involved a 3am run-in with mayoral candidate, restaurateur, and provocateur Leo Molloy.

Before his disappearance, a plane ticket was booked for Rolland to return home on March 20, 2020. He promised his mother he would collect some sand from Piha Beach for her as a souvenir first.

Meanwhile, a documentary crew has joined Rolland's parents in New Zealand, with French director Bruno Dupuis telling Stuff the disappearance had received little attention in France.

"The media hasn't been fair in the case of Eloi."

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Missing French tourist found

UPDATED 3.30PM:  The young French tourist who had not been seen since last week, has been found.

Alexandre Levain, 29, had been missing since Friday, when he was seen at Arthurs Pass Village, in the South Island.

Police say he had been staying in Arthur's Pass National Park hut and was unaware people were concerned for him.

"He may have decided to go tramping in the area or continued his travels around New Zealand,'' a statement said.

Anyone who may have seen Levain or knows his whereabouts can contact Christchurch police: (03) 363 7400.

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Mystery surrounds disappearance of French tourist, 18, who was last spotted catching a train outside of Auckland – as family admit the teenager was 'quite disturbed'

• Eloi Jean Rolland, 18, moved to Auckland last September to study English
• He went missing on March 6 in the village of Piha - 45 minutes from the city 
• Mr Rolland's family said he was lonely and 'quite disturbed' before he vanished
• His sister said he was 'determined to return to France as quickly as possible'

By Alana Mazzoni For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 01:30 EDT, 4 May 2020 | Updated: 01:30 EDT, 4 May 2020

View comments

The family of a French tourist who mysteriously vanished in New Zealand say the teenager was lonely and 'quite disturbed'.

Eloi Jean Rolland, 18, moved to Auckland last September to study English before he went missing in Piha - 45 minutes east of the city - on March 6.

Mr Rolland's family said he wasn't coping in the months leading up to his disappearance, and suffered 'sentimental setbacks' while in New Zealand. 

'He was determined to return to France as quickly as possible, explaining to everyone that he was homesick,' his sister Aurore Allogho-Boundzanga told the NZ Herald.

Eloi Jean Rolland, 18, moved to Auckland last September to study English before he went missing in Piha - 45 minutes east of the city - on March 6

At 6.30am on the day Mr Rolland went missing, he was captured on CCTV footage boarding a train from Britomart Station in Auckland's CBD

'Personally, I found him quite disturbed in the last months preceding his disappearance.  

'So suicide? An accident ? A bad meeting? A settlement of accounts? Since March 6, the question remains completely in suspense.'

'He assured me that he wanted to see his missing friends again, that he felt too lonely and that he preferred to return as soon as possible to prepare for a test in view of joining the Air Force.'

Ms Allogho-Boundzanga said her brother had been through 'several sentimental disappointments' and 'expressed the desire to return to France as quickly as possible'.

Mr Rolland's family said he was most likely went to the seaside village to collect the area's famed black sand to take home.

The French teen was staying with a host family an hour away in Birkenhead, but failed to return home.

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At 6.30am on the day Mr Rolland went missing, he was captured on CCTV footage boarding a train from Britomart Station in Auckland's CBD.

Nearly an hour late he got off the train at Fruitvale Station at New Lynn.

Police believe he may have then walked around 10km to Piha Road, where his phone pinged, at 9.18am.

Mr Rolland hasn't been spotted since and his phone stopped transmitting shortly after.

Police are forensically testing a t shirt that was found 7km south of Piha to determine if it belongs to Mr Rolland.

Detective Senior Sergeant Callum McNeill said police aren't ruling out anything when it comes to how Mr Rolland disappeared. 

The 18-year-old's sister said he was lonely and 'quite disturbed' in the months leading up to his disappearance 

Share or comment on this article: Mystery surrounds disappearance of French tourist who was last spotted catching a train in Auckland

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French tourist missing in Hawke's Bay

A French tourist hasn't been seen since Friday morning.

Thirty-two-year-old Pierre Paludet's car was found in a beach car park in Haumoana, east of Hastings, later that day.

Locals told police the car had been there for several days, and Mr Paludet was last seen with it on Friday.

Anyone who knows where he is should contact Hastings police on (06) 831 0700.

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Missing french tourist's brother has hope.

The brother of a missing French tourist says he's been in New Zealand for a year on a working holiday visa, travelling and picking fruit.

Pierre Paludet, who went missing in Hawke's Bay. Photo: LinkedIn

Pierre Paludet, 32, was last seen on Friday morning.

His car has been in the beach carpark at Haumoana in Hawke's Bay since then.

Police said they had received information through Facebook and from people contacting them directly, including potential sightings in other parts of the North Island.

They would be following up on these sightings, but will not be searching unless new information comes to light.

French authorities have also been helpful, said police.

Pierre Paludet's car has been in the beach carpark at Haumoana since he was last seen. Photo: Supplied

Pierre's brother Alexandre visited him in November and told RNZ the last time Alexandre heard from his brother was on the 2 January "to wish a happy New Year."

He said Pierre may have gone tramping without telling anyone, although their mother was worried.

"The French authorities called her and said that his bag was still in the car. She thought he could have drowned or something," he said.

But Alexandre was more optimistic, particularly given his brother's past experiences.

"Pierre has done a TransAtlantic on a small boat with some friends a couple of years ago. Also, I don't think he would have gone and swam really far from the shores."

He said that Pierre was a big traveller and already crossed many parts of the world such as central and South America.

Pierre worked as an engineer in composite material from the French city of Vallet, near Nantes.

He planned to spend the next three months in New Zealand.

Copyright © 2018 , Radio New Zealand

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March 26, 2024 - Baltimore Key Bridge collapses after ship collision

By Helen Regan , Kathleen Magramo , Antoinette Radford, Alisha Ebrahimji , Maureen Chowdhury , Rachel Ramirez , Elise Hammond , Aditi Sangal , Tori B. Powell , Piper Hudspeth Blackburn and Kathleen Magramo , CNN

Our live coverage of the Baltimore bridge collapse has moved here .

Crew member on DALI said everyone on board was safe hours after bridge collapse, official says

From CNN’s Amy Simonson

A crew member on the DALI cargo ship sent a message hours after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed Tuesday saying everybody on board was safe, according to Apostleship of the Sea director Andy Middleton.

Middleton, who spent time with the captain of the DALI Monday, told CNN’s Laura Coates he reached out to a crew member after hearing about the incident Tuesday morning. 

He said there were 22 members aboard the ship from India who were setting sail earlier Tuesday morning and were heading toward Sri Lanka.

“I was able to reach out to a crew member very early this morning around 5:30 (a.m. ET) or 6 (a.m. ET) and get a message to them asking if they were OK,” he said. “That crew member responded within just a few minutes advising that the crew was safe, and everybody that [was] on board was safe.”

Middleton was told by the ship's captain Monday that the vessel was going to take a longer route to avoid risks along the Yemen coast.

“When I was out with the captain yesterday, we were talking while we were driving, and he advised that they were sailing down and around the tip of South Africa in order to avoid the incidents that are going on off the Yemen coast, and it was a safer way to go,” he said.

Middleton said the  Apostleship of the Sea  is a ministry to seafarers with members that spend time in the port and on the vessels as a friendly face to the seafarers that visit the Port of Baltimore, “taking care of their needs to make sure that they're reminded of their God-given human dignity when they're here in Baltimore.”

Search operation ends in "heartbreaking conclusion," Maryland governor says. Here's the latest

From CNN staff

Six people, who were believed to be part of a road construction crew, are presumed dead after Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday morning. The collapse came after a 984-foot cargo ship hit the bridge's pillar.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore told reporters Tuesday evening it's a "really heartbreaking conclusion to a challenging day."

Late Tuesday, it was discovered that two of the construction workers who went missing after the bridge collapsed were from Guatemala , the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said late Tuesday.

Here's what you should know to get up to speed:

• The victims: Eight people were on the bridge  when it fell, according to officials. At least two people were rescued — one was taken to the hospital and was later  discharged , fire official and the medical center said.
• The incident: Video shows the moment the entire bridge structure falls into the water, as the ship hits one of the bridge's pillars. CNN analysis shows that the  ships lights flickered  and it veered off course before it hit the bridge. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said the crew on the ship were able to issue a "mayday" before colliding into the bridge, which allowed the authorities to stop incoming traffic from going onto the bridge.
• Response efforts: Earlier, dive teams from various state and local agencies were brought in to assist in search-and-rescue operations, according to Maryland State Police Secretary Col. Roland L. Butler Jr.. The mission started with 50 personnel and continued to grow before the Coast Guard announced Tuesday evening that it was suspending its active search-and-rescue operation and transitioning to a "different phase."
• The investigation: Authorities are still working to establish exactly how the crash occurred. The National Transportation Safety Board will look into  how the bridge was built  and investigate the structure itself. It will "take time to dig through" whether the bridge had ever been  flagged for any safety deficiencies , NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said.
• Rebuilding the bridge: US Sen. Chris Van Hollen said the path to rebuilding the bridge will be "long and expensive." Senior White House adviser Tom Perez told reporters Tuesday “it’s too early” to tell how long it will take to rebuild the bridge. President Joe Biden said Tuesday he wants the federal government to bear the full cost of rebuilding the collapsed bridge, noting that it will not wait for the company who owns the container ship DALI to shoulder the costs. Funding could come from the Federal Highway Administration as well as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, but it may require additional funding from Congress.

2 of the missing construction workers from bridge collapse were from Guatemala, foreign ministry says

From CNN’s Allison Gordon, Flora Charner and Amy Simonson

Two of the construction workers missing from the bridge collapse in Baltimore were from Guatemala, the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement late Tuesday.

Those missing included a 26-year-old originally from San Luis, Petén. The other is a 35-year-old from Camotán, Chiquimula, the statement said.

The ministry said both were part of a work team “repairing the asphalt on the bridge at the time of the accident.”

The statement did not name the two people missing, but it said the country’s consul general in Maryland “went to the area where the families of those affected are located,” where he hopes to be able to meet with the brothers of both missing people.

The consulate   also issued a statement Tuesday saying its consul general in Maryland "remains in contact with local authorities," and also confirmed that two of those missing "were of Guatemalan origin.”

Six people, who were believed to be part of a road construction crew, are presumed dead after Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday morning when a cargo ship hit the bridge's pillar.

State and federal officials have not released information about the identities of any of the six missing workers.

Underwater mapping of bridge collapse area to begin Wednesday, Baltimore fire chief says

From CNN's Jennifer Henderson

Search operations near the Key Bridge collapse have shut down for the night due to dangerous conditions, but the process of underwater mapping with many local, state and federal dive teams will begin Wednesday, Baltimore City Fire Chief James Wallace told CNN’s Anderson Cooper Tuesday night.

Wallace said the portion of the Patapsco River is “tidal influenced, so it goes through tide cycles just like the open waters of the Chesapeake Bay does.”

The water depths in the area under the bridge vary from 40 feet to more than 60 feet, Wallace said. The deeper the divers go, the colder the temperatures they encounter, and the visibility is zero, he added.

 Wallace said when crews arrived Tuesday morning, the surface water temperatures of the Patapsco River were about 47 degrees with an air temperature of 44-45 degrees.

Here's what you should know about the historic Francis Scott Key Bridge

The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday after a massive container ship lost power and crashed into the iconic Baltimore bridge, sending people and vehicles into the frigid Patapsco River.

Six people, believed to be part of a road construction crew, are presumed dead and the Coast Guard has ended its active search and rescue mission.

Here's what you should know about the historic bridge:

• How old?: The Francis Scott Key Bridge, also referred to as just the Key Bridge, opened to traffic in March 1977 and is the final link in the Baltimore Beltway, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA.) It crosses over the 50-foot-deep Patapsco River, where former US attorney Francis Scott Key found inspiration to write the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner, the MDTA says.
• How long?: The bridge was 1.6 miles long when standing, MDTA reports.
• Traffic volume: More than 30,000 people commuted daily on the bridge, according to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.
• How much did it cost?: The bridge cost $60.3 million to build, MDTA says. Since its collapse, President Joe Biden said he’s committed to helping rebuild the bridge as soon as possible.
• About the port: Baltimore ranks as the ninth biggest US port for international cargo. It handled a record 52.3 million tons, valued at $80.8 billion, in 2023. According to the Maryland state government, the port supports 15,330 direct jobs and 139,180 jobs in related services.
• About the ship: The bridge collapsed after a container vessel called Dali collided with one of its supports. Dali is operated by Singapore-based Synergy Group but had been chartered to carry cargo by Danish shipping giant Maersk . The ship is about 984 feet long , according to MarineTraffic data. That’s the length of almost three football fields.

Baltimore woman says bridge collapse was "like a piece of family dissolved"

From CNN's Kit Maher

For longtime Baltimore resident, Ceely, who opted not to share her last name, seeing footage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse  Tuesday was deeply personal.

“I was very heavy-hearted,” Ceely told CNN. “Very tearful, thinking about the families whose loved ones may be in the water and just remembering when the bridge was constructed, and it was just like a piece of family dissolved.”

Ceely was at a prayer group Tuesday morning when she saw the news. She recalled being afraid when she first crossed the bridge while in Ford Maverick in 1975, but grew to like it because it saved time on the road.

“It was a main artery just like a blood line. It was a main artery to the other side of town. It was awesome. It beat going through the city all the time,” she said.

Elder Rashad A. Singletary , a senior pastor who led Tuesday night’s vigil at Mt. Olive Baptist Church told CNN that many church members watched the bridge's construction.

"It’s a part of the community. A lot of our individuals in our congregation drive that bridge to go to work, and so now it’s really a life changing moment,” he said.

"Heartbreaking conclusion to a challenging day," Maryland governor says as Coast Guard ended search operation

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

More than 18 hours after the collapse of the Baltimore bridge, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said it was a heartbreaking conclusion after the Coast Guard ended the search-and-rescue operation for the six people who were on the bridge when it collapsed.

It's a "really heartbreaking conclusion to a challenging day," he said.

"We put every single asset possible — air, land and sea" to find the missing people, he told reporters on Tuesday evening. "While even though we're moving on now to a recovery mission, we're still fully committed to making sure that we're going to use every single asset to now bring a sense of closure to the families," the governor added.

6 people presumed dead after Baltimore bridge collapse, Coast Guard says. Here's what we know

As the sun sets in Baltimore, six people are presumed dead after a major bridge collapsed overnight Tuesday, according to the Coast Guard. The Francis Scott Key Bridge came down around 1:30 a.m. ET after a cargo ship collided with it.

The Coast Guard said it has ended its active search-and-rescue operation for the missing construction workers who were on the bridge when it collapsed.

• What we know: Eight people were on the bridge when it fell, according to officials. At least two people were rescued — one was taken to the hospital and has been discharged . The Coast Guard has been searching for six other people. But, around 7:30 p.m. ET, the Coast Guard said it has transitioned to a “different phase” of operation, now it did “not believe we are going to find any of these individuals alive,” Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath said.
• About the ship: The bridge collapsed after a container vessel called Dali collided with one of its supports. The vessel is operated by Singapore-based Synergy Group but had been chartered to carry cargo by Danish shipping giant Maersk . The US Embassy in Singapore has been in contact with the country’s Maritime and Port Authority, a State Department spokesperson said.
• The investigation: The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the collapse. A team of 24 experts will dig into nautical operations, vessel operations, safety history records, owners, operators, company policy and any safety management systems or programs, said NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy. A voyage data recorder will be critical to the investigation, she added. 
• Vehicles on the bridge: Officials are also working to verify the numbers of how many cars and people were on the bridge, Homendy said. Gov. Wes Moore said the quick work of authorities in closing the bridge had saved lives . Radio traffic captured how authorities stopped traffic and worked to clear the bridge seconds before the impact . Maryland State Police Secretary Col. Roland L. Butler Jr. said there is a “ distinct possibility ” more vehicles were on the bridge, but authorities have not found any evidence to support that.
• Looking ahead: NTSB will look into how the bridge was built and investigate the structure itself, including if it was flagged for any safety deficiencies , Homendy said. The federal government has also directed its resources to help with search and rescue, to reopen the port and rebuild the bridge, Vice President Kamala Harris said . Earlier, President Joe Biden said t he federal government will pay to fix the bridge.
• The economy: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg warned the collapse will have a serious impact on supply chains . Until the channel is reopened, ships will likely already be changing course for other East Coast ports. Ocean carriers are already being diverted from the Port of Baltimore, where the bridge collapsed, to the Port of Virginia to “keep trade moving."

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French tourist 'missing' in South Island had contact with Canadian

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Police have no concerns for the safety of a French tourist reported missing in the South Island yesterday.

The woman, known only as "Celine", sparked a search operation when it emerged she was two days late returning from a tramp on Route 12 in Arthur's Pass National Park.

Last night, a police spokesman said they had made contact with a Canadian tourist called Genevieve Forcier, who had been travelling through the park with Celine.

The spokesman said staff were due to interview Ms Forcier tomorrow but initial information from her indicated Celine was no longer in the park.

Police had called off the search and were not concerned for her well-being, the spokesman said.

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Why did the bridge collapse and what is the death toll?

What is the death toll so far, when did the baltimore bridge collapse, why did the bridge collapse, who will pay for the damage and how much will the bridge cost.

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The Israeli military said on Friday it had killed Ali Abed Akhsan Naim, deputy commander of Hezbollah's rocket and missiles unit, in an air strike in the area of Bazouriye in Lebanon.

Morning Rundown: Dog and son save family from stabbing spree, Biden fundraiser pulls in $25M, lawmaker calls basketball teams 'illegal invaders'

Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse: Two victims recovered; NTSB recovers ship’s voyage recorder data

What we know.

• The remains of two people who were killed after Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed when it was struck by the containership yesterday have been recovered. Four others are presumed dead.
• The victims were construction workers who were on the bridge filling potholes when the span was struck. Two people were rescued from the water, one of whom was treated at a local trauma center.
• The ship lost power, and a distress call prompted authorities to close the bridge to traffic. Video of the ship, emergency radio transmissions and analysis by maritime veterans paint a picture of a disastrous scenario — one that could have been much worse.
• National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy told NBC News today that the agency has recovered the Dali's voyage recorder data.
• Customers from the East Coast to the Midwest could feel a costly impact from the collapse of the bridge, which was named for the man who wrote the poem that became "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Watch: Drone video shows aftermath of Baltimore bridge collapse

The NTSB captured the aftermath of the bridge collapse in Baltimore as investigators were surveying the extent of damage on board the cargo ship Dali.

More than 1,100 Army Corps of Engineers personnel assisting

Rebecca Cohen

More than 1,100 engineering, construction, contracting and operations specialists from the Baltimore District of the Army Corps of Engineers are providing support to local, state and federal agencies after the collapse, the corps said in a statement.

The Army Corps is helping to clear the channel where the bridge collapsed, according to the statement, as a part of the recovery effort to remove the debris from the water.

Biden: 'We’ll be with the people of Baltimore for as long as it takes'

"Earlier today, I sat down with Secretary of Transportation Buttigieg and Vice Admiral Gautier to discuss the coordinated response to the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge," Biden said on X.

He added: "We’ll be with the people of Baltimore for as long as it takes."

Baltimore City Council president looks toward a return to normalcy

Baltimore City Council President Nick Mosby said his priority is to help bring normalcy back to his community.

“As we move on from search and rescue to now salvage, how do we turn some normalcy back to something that’s really important to our local economy, meaning the port?” Mosby asked on NBC News Now’s “Top Story with Tom Llamas.”

Rebuilding the bridge should remain the focus, he said.

“This is the ninth-largest port in the country. When we talk about the importance of the port being the most westward eastbound port, that’s why it’s the No. 1 importer of farming equipment that goes to the Midwest," he said.

NTSB chair expects investigation to take 1 to 2 years

Homendy said tonight she has "no doubt that we will be be able to pull this [the investigation] together in hopefully 12 to 24 months."

"With that said," she continued, "we will not hesitate again to issue urgent safety recommendations before that time if we need to."

She called the investigation into the crash a "massive undertaking" but noted that such an investigation is not new for the NTSB.

Right now, Homendy said, the focus is reuniting families with their loved ones.

"Everything else can wait," she said.

56 containers of hazardous materials were on containership

There were 56 containers of hazardous materials on board the Dali when it crashed, said Homendy, the NTSB chair.

The containers, holding 760 tons of hazardous materials, according to Homendy, mostly contained corrosives, flammables and "miscellaneous" materials, including lithium-ion batteries.

Some containers have been breached, Homendy said, adding that a sheen can be seen on the waterway.

Homendy said that some of the breached containers are in the water and some are on the vessel and that she does not know the total number of breached containers or the timeline for getting them out, as that does not fall on the NTSB.

She added that it is a "pretty dangerous situation" that is preventing officials from getting to the hazardous materials to assess what remains.

23 crew members still on board the Dali

Homendy said 23 people, including 21 crew members and two pilots, were on board the Dali when it crashed into the bridge.

The crew remains on board the ship, which the NTSB investigation team boarded earlier today as a part of its investigation.

The people on the vessel have power, Homendy said, but the ship cannot move.

2 more bridge collapse victims identified

Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, who was from Mexico and lived in Baltimore, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, who was from Guatemala and lived in Dundalk, Maryland, were identified as the men who recovered from the water this morning.

Both of their families have been notified, said Col. Roland L. Butler Jr. with the Maryland State Police.

All six of the people presumed dead after the bridge collapse are believed to be from Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.

2 victims recovered; recovery efforts now a salvage operation

Searchers in the Port of Baltimore found two victims shortly before 10 a.m. today, Col. Roland L. Butler Jr. with the Maryland State Police said in an update this afternoon.

The victims were in a red pickup that was trapped in 25 feet of water near what once was the middle of the bridge, he said.

Officials are moving from a recovery mission to a salvage operation at the scene, Butler said, because it is no longer safe for divers to navigate or operate around the debris and concrete in the port.

Scans from sonar vehicles have led officials to believe the vehicles still trapped underwater are encased in concrete and the structures that crashed down early yesterday.

Butler said that responding officers have "exhausted all search efforts" to recover the victims and that divers stopped searching the water at around 4 p.m. today.

Brother of Baltimore bridge worker shares frustration over recovery mission

The brother of Maynor Suazo, one of the six workers who vanished following the collapse of the Maryland bridge, shared his frustration and heartbreak while he and his family wait for updates.

Ten vessels stuck in the Port of Baltimore

Following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, 10 vessels are stuck in the Port of Baltimore, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, including 3 bulk carriers, 1 vehicle carrier, 2 general cargo ships, 1 oil/chemical tanker and 3 logistics naval vessels.

The ship that took the bridge down is still in the Port of Baltimore, as well, according to the BTS.

An additional 12 vessels are in the Port, but are not stuck behind the bridge, BTS said. One vehicle carrier is in the port but outside of the bridge, and 9 bulk carriers, 1 vehicle carrier and 2 general cargo vessels are anchored beyond the collapsed bridge.

NTSB to hold news conference at 8 p.m. ET

Marlene Lenthang

Homendy will hold a news conference on the cargo vessel Dali's crash and the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse at 8 p.m. ET. 

Mexico supporting families of 3 Mexican construction workers impacted in bridge collapse

Nicole Duarte

Mexico is supporting the families of the three Mexican nationals affected by the Baltimore bridge collapse. 

Three of the eight construction workers who were working on the bridge when it collapsed are of Mexican nationality, the nation’s secretary of foreign affairs said in a statement today.

One, from Michoacán, was rescued and is recovering from his injuries. The other two, who hailed from Veracruz and Michoacán, remain missing. 

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said in a news conference this morning that the government is in communication with their families, supporting them and offering assistance from the diplomatic corps in Baltimore and Washington. 

“The head of the Consular Section, Rafael Laveaga Rendón, traveled to the city of Baltimore to provide support to the families of the workers, who have requested respect for their privacy at this difficult time,” the statement said. 

Buttigieg says he can't estimate yet when Baltimore's port will reopen

Rebecca Shabad is in Washington, D.C.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that he can't estimate yet when the Port of Baltimore will be reopened.

During a White House briefing today, he was asked by reporters several times if it would take days, weeks or months to resume operations at the port and he declined to answer. He noted that $100 million to $200 million of value comes through the port daily and officials are most concerned about the impact on workers' wages, which he said is about $2 million daily.

Vice Adm. Peter Gautier, deputy commandant for operations for the Coast Guard, who joined the briefing, said that the main challenge now is to remove the large trusses and steel, from the bridge, from the bow of the ship.

Buttigieg said he also couldn't estimate how much rebuilding the bridge might cost, but said it's "likely" that the administration will turn to Congress to ask lawmakers to replenish an emergency relief account from the infrastructure law.

Buttigieg said he doesn't "have dollar estimates yet," but said there are "provisions that allow us to begin releasing funding even while that is being determined." He said he expects Maryland's Transportation Department to submit a request this afternoon for emergency funding.

"We will be processing that immediately to start getting them what they need," he said.  

Dali ship pilot didn’t notice anything off before engines failed

The cargo ship Dali that hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge had suffered a “blackout” and engine failure before it crashed, Clay Diamond, executive director of the American Pilots' Association, said today. 

The Dali had departed from the Baltimore harbor pier at 12:30 a.m. and suffered a “complete blackout” at 1:25 a.m. — "lost engine power, all electricity, they were a dead ship essentially," Diamond said.

Shortly after, the emergency generator kicked on-emergency lighting, steering, and navigation equipment, which is when the lights on the ship flickered back on. However, the ship’s engines never came back on, Diamond said.

The pilot shifted the rudder port, meaning left, and ordered the port anchor be dropped to slow the vessel and keep it from drifting right, and the pilot radioed to have the bridge closed.

Diamond noted this was the first time the pilot, who has more than 10 years of experience in the role, was in charge of a dead ship, but it is a situation pilots train for. 

The pilot had an apprentice on board, who was essentially new having started in the role Feb. 1. Diamond said the apprentice was observing, not navigating, and it would be incorrect to say there were two pilots on board, which officials have previously described.

The pilot didn’t notice anything strange when he left the pier inside the port of Baltimore, Diamond noted.

“[The pilot's] doing as well as you can expect, this is a horrifying thing to go through,” Diamond said. The pilot has spoken with the Coast Guard, Maryland state officials and NTSB investigators.

Insurance will cover some of bridge rebuilding cost: Treasury secretary

Insurance payments will partially cover the cost of rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said. 

“My expectation would be that ultimately, insurance, there’ll be insurance payments, in part to cover this, but we don’t want to allow worrying about where the financing is coming to hold up reconstruction,” she said on MSNBC today. 

“We have the supply chain task force that actually will be meeting this afternoon to review what they know about the likely impact, but we’re monitoring this very closely and prepared to take any steps that can be helpful,” Yellen added. 

She echoed President Joe Biden’s vow to get the bridge back up and running as soon as possible, saying: “President Biden has indicated that we will do everything as quickly as we possibly can to reopen the port which is, as you said, one of the most important in the United States.”

Construction worker remembers missing peers as 'great husbands, fathers, sons'

Didi Martinez

Moises Diaz, a worker for Brawner Builders, the company that employed the six missing construction workers in the Baltimore bridge collapse, remembered his fallen peers as “great husbands, fathers, sons.”

“We are very worried because they were great co-workers,” he said in a statement shared with NBC News, recalling them as “respectful, responsible with their work, their families and friendships.”

Diaz said that the last time he saw his co-worker Miguel Luna was Friday and that he had last spoken to Maynor Suazo on Monday afternoon. 

He said that he formerly held the shift the workers died in, but recently changed shifts because of his church schedule. 

Sister of Maryland bridge worker: He ‘was everything to us’

Daniella Silva

The sister of Maynor Suazo, one of the six workers who vanished following the collapse of the Maryland bridge, said her brother was “the driving force of my family” and “an exemplary father.”

Maynor Suazo, a father of two, was originally from Honduras.

Norma Suazo told Telemundo through tears today that her brother was “everything to us” and the sibling she was always the most attached to.

“He gave us strength for everything,” she said in Spanish, in between tears. 

“He fought day after day for our family to get ahead,” Suazo said. “He was a good brother, a good son, an exemplary father.”

Maynor Suazo’s brother-in-law, who was also present, said the man “leaves a very great legacy” and “has been a great example for many people.”

Two friends recall 'disturbing' moment bridge fell, just 30 minutes after they drove over it

Christian Miller and Toby Gutermuth had driven over the Francis Scott Key Bridge just 30 minutes before it fell early yesterday, and captured the terrifying collapse on video. 

The friends were at Fort Armistead Park listening to music and getting ready to fish when they noticed something odd. 

“I see what I thought was cargo falling off of the front of the ship into the water causing some water to splash, so I started recording that, not knowing that it was actually the cargo ship hitting one of the columns on the bridge, and sure enough I got the whole thing on video. The whole bridge coming down. It was scary,” Gutermuth said on NBC News Now. 

“My stomach just kind of sank. It was a pretty disturbing sight,” Miller said recalling how they heard debris fall, metal scraping and saw the lights go out on the bridge. 

Gutermuth said the catastrophe was “something you only think you’d ever see in a movie.”

The pair extended prayers to the families impacted, with Miller adding, “Hopefully, we recover from this as a community.”

Divers haven't entered the water under bridge yet

BALTIMORE — No divers from any agency have entered the water at the scene of the wreckage of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge yet, officials said. 

The FBI is supporting the recovery effort with its diver team and ROV’s — remotely operated vehicles — to find targets in the water, such as the shadow of cars or human remains. 

“The debris field is pretty sizable and I know that’s why they’re hesitant to send divers down because some of the debris is still shifting, the heavy weight of the rocks,” Supervisory Special Agent Brian Hudson, the program manager for the FBI’s Underwater Search and Evidence Response Team, told NBC News today. “It’s dark, so we’re not getting great camera footage from our ROV footage, but the sonar still shows up very well.”

So far, he said they’ve marked some “interesting targets,” but it’s not clear when divers will enter the water to scope those out. Conditions for diving are also a challenge with visibility essentially black, strong currents, cold temperatures and the expansive size of the debris field.

Hudson said “it’s possible” to recovery the bodies of the missing and the water search could last a week.

“We’re going to use the sensory imaging of the sonars to find targets that look like vehicles, look like remains. Once those images are found, we’ll tag them with GPS. Usually we’ll send an ROV down to visually confirm if possible with the video camera. Once we got a visual confirmation, we can use the manipulator claws of the ROV to latch onto something, and that gives the divers a through line into the water and they can go down and work," he explained.

Maryland flag lowered to half-staff

Julia Jester

The Maryland flag has been lowered to half-staff, Moore announced just before 11 a.m.

"We have spoken to the families, prayed with them, and assured them that our state will mobilize every resource to bring them closure," the governor wrote , echoing Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott's earlier commitment to the victims' loved ones.

Nearby marina and restaurant offer support to first responders

Daniel Arkin

Anchor Bay East Marina and the Hard Yacht Cafe, two local destinations just a short drive away from what was once the Francis Scott Key Bridge, plan to offer a range of services to first responders.

Bathrooms and showers will be available for all first responders. All first responders will receive a 50% discount on food purchases, according to a post from the marina and the restaurant on Facebook. The fuel dock will be open around the clock.

"There is very little to say at the moment, but we are focused to do what we can as a group to support everyone involved," the marina and the cafe said in a joint statement. "We pray for the individuals, families and first responders affected by this disaster."

Baltimore mayor promises to give families ‘closure they deserve'

Scott posted on X that he will spend today continuing to help coordinate response efforts, including the work to recover all six victims.

"They are working around the clock to do everything in our power to provide these families with the closure they deserve and this city will stand with them through this, every step of the way," he wrote.

Maryland lawmakers to propose emergency aid for port workers

“We are drafting an emergency bill to provide for income replacement for workers impacted by this travesty,” Maryland state Senate President Bill Ferguson  posted on social media  this morning.

The Port of Baltimore provides jobs for roughly 15,000 workers in the region and processes more than $80 billion in goods each year. Ferguson said the economic stability and loss cannot be understated.

"Yesterday I spent hours talking to labor leaders, dock workers, small business owners, and large port industry leaders who all had the exact same message: 'We must unlock the channel to the Port of Baltimore," he wrote. "They’re right. And until we do, there is enormous cost to families.”

Recovery mission resumes in difficult conditions

Patrick Smith

Underwater drones and helicopter pilots went back to the task of finding the bodies of six construction workers still missing after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge yesterday.

A large search operation paused around 7:30 p.m. yesterday as darkness made already tough conditions near-impossible for specialist teams.

Maryland State Police spokesperson Elena Russo confirmed to The Associated Press before 7:30 a.m. today that “recovery efforts are underway.”

And the mission will be made that much harder by heavy rain, patchy fog and temperatures in the 40s.

Maryland governor praises first responders for saving 'countless lives'

In an interview with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” today, Moore hailed the quick actions of the cargo ship’s crew, particularly the last-minute mayday call that likely helped prevent even more casualties.

“The fact that they were able to stop cars from coming on to the bridge, that saved countless lives because had ... more cars been on that bridge when it collapsed, this would have turned a catastrophic incident into an even more catastrophic incident,” the Democratic governor said. “So, the debt of gratitude that we all have towards these first responders, it’s incalculable.”

NTSB chief and investigators to go aboard the Dali cargo ship today

Tom Costello

BALTIMORE — The chair of the National Transport Safety Board and a team of investigators plan to be on board the stricken Dali cargo ship later today to interview crew members and gather evidence.

Jennifer L. Homendy told NBC News this morning that her team would be looking at a range of issues, including what protections, if any, the bridge support structures had and whether they should have been more robust.

Homendy said the data recorder that has been recovered was a modern device that could reveal a wide range of facts to investigators, including the ship's positioning and speed, and what might have happened to its power.

"It’s quite a bit of information, throttle position, you, you name it. And that will help us enable us to begin to put together a timeline of events that occurred prior to the striking of the bridge," she said.

Homendy also said her team would look at how the Key Bridge was destroyed by the loss of a single support pylon and how similar disasters could be prevented elsewhere in the country.

"That is exactly what we’re going to be looking at is that type of infrastructure to prevent this type of collapse ... from occurring," she said.

An NTSB team boarded the ship in a preliminary visit last night, but the agency hopes to get much of its work done today.

She also said the NTSB would look into the suggestion that contaminated fuel may have played a role in the tragedy, as reported by The Wall Street Journal last night.

There will be no quick conclusion, however: She said the investigation could take up to two years to complete.

'They they were fathers, they were sons, they were husbands': Maryland governor on meeting families of the missing workers

Moore said he has met and prayed with the families of the six construction workers who are missing and feared dead following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge yesterday.

Speaking on NBC's "TODAY" show this morning, he said these were "people who simply just went to work yesterday to work on potholes."

"They had no idea that them going to work was gonna turn to a deadly occurrence," he said.

He continued: "They they were fathers, they were sons, they were husbands, They were people who their families relied on."

Moore said he told the families he would put every available resource into the search and rescue mission, which has since been called off.

"But now that we’ve transitioned to a recovery mission, I’m going to make sure that we’re going to put every possible resource to bring a sense of closure to these families," he said.

Moore echoed the words of Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott who yesterday called the law enforcement officers who stopped traffic on both sides of the bridge "heroes."

"This was true heroism," Moore said, adding that countless lives were saved. "You know, when we say that that we are, we are Maryland tough and we are Baltimore strong."

Moore added that a warning was sent to the workers on the bridge. It remains unclear how or why they were still on the bridge at the time of the collision.

"It unfolded in seconds, minutes, as we well know," he added.

Moore would not speculate on how long it might take for a new bridge to be built, but declared: "We are going to get this done."

NTSB has recovered ship's voyage recorder data

BALTIMORE — National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy tells NBC News that the agency has recovered the Dali cargo ship's voyage recorder data.

The recorder preserves 12 hours of information covering the ship’s movements and operations, along with conversations that took place on the vessel.

Mexico confirms some missing construction workers are Mexican

Mexico has confirmed that some of the six missing construction workers are Mexican.

In a post on X late yesterday, the Mexican Embassy in Washington said: "There are six workers missing, including Mexican, Guatemalan and Salvadoran people. The authorities will resume search work tomorrow."

Yesterday, the Mexican ambassador to the U.S, Esteban Moctezuma Barragán, said that his country expressed "our solidarity with all those affected by this devastating accident."

Guatemala has also confirmed that two of the missing are Guatemalan.

Maryland DOT warns motorists to expect longer journey times after bridge collapse

The Maryland Department of Transportation has confirmed what locals knew within seconds of seeing the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse: it will mean longer driving times in the area.

"Drivers are encouraged to prepare for extra commuting time until further notice," the agency said in a statement last night.

The agency's travel advice is that:

• The outer loop I-695 closure has shifted to exit 1/Quarantine Road (past the Curtis Creek Drawbridge) to allow for enhanced local traffic access. 
• The inner loop of I-695 remains closed at Maryland state Route 157 (Peninsula Expressway). Additionally, the ramp from state Route 157 to the inner loop of I-695 will be closed. 
• Drivers should use I-95 (Fort McHenry Tunnel) or I-895 (Baltimore Harbor Tunnel) for north/south routes. Commercial vehicles carrying materials that are prohibited in the tunnel crossings, including recreation vehicles carrying propane, should plan on using I-695 (Baltimore Beltway) between Essex and Glen Burnie. This will add significant driving time.  

Guatemala confirms two of the missing workers are Guatemalan, has spoken to their families

Guatemala has confirmed that two of its citizens were among the six construction workers who were working on the bridge at the time of its collapse and are now missing.

Neither have been identified, but in a statement , the Guatemalan Foreign Affairs Ministry said they were a 26-year-old, originally from San Luis, Petén, in Guatemala and a 35-year-old originally from Camotán, Chiquimula. The ministry has spoken to the brothers of both missing workers.

“Among the six workers who are still missing, it is believed that there are people of Mexican origin, from Honduras, El Salvador and the two Guatemalans,” the statement said.

The Guatemalan Consulate General in Maryland said it had been told in a report that the boat sent a signal to stop traffic at both ends of the bridge.

Baltimore community shaken after bridge collapse leaves 6 missing

BALTIMORE — Six construction workers, who were plunged into the murky waters, are presumed dead after the cargo ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. NBC’s Tom Llamas spoke with residents and workers who were stunned by the disaster.

The Key Bridge collapse is the latest in a long line of tragic bridge incidents

The Associated Press

The bridge collapse is not the first major incident involving ships or barges hitting bridges in the United States.

From 1960 to 2015, there were 35 major bridge collapses worldwide due to ship or barge collision, with a total of 342 people killed,  according to a 2018 report  from the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure. Eighteen of those collapses happened in the U.S.

These include when barges being pushed by a towboat in dense fog hit and displaced the Big Bayou Canot railroad bridge near Mobile, Alabama, on Sept. 22, 1993. Minutes later, an Amtrak train with 220 people aboard hit the displaced bridge and derailed, killing 47 people and injuring 103.

In 1980, the 609-foot freighter Summit Venture lost its radar in the Tampa Bay before it sheared off a support of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, dropping a 1,400-foot section of concrete roadway during the morning rush hour. Seven vehicles, including a bus with 26 aboard, fell 150 feet into the water, killing 35 people.

In 2002, a barge hit the Interstate 40 bridge over the Arkansas River, causing a 500-foot section to collapse and sending vehicles into the water, killing 14 people and injuring 11.

Construction firm with six workers missing says bridge collapse was 'completely unforeseen'

A senior executive at the company that employed the six missing construction workers said that the firm takes safety seriously and that the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge was totally unexpected.

"This was so completely unforeseen," Jeffrey Pritzker, executive vice president at Brawner Builders, told The Associated Press.

"We don’t know what else to say. We take such great pride in safety, and we have cones and signs and lights and barriers and flaggers."

Prayer vigil held for victims of Baltimore bridge collapse

A prayer vigil was held for the victims of the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse in Baltimore yesterday. Community leaders and members gathered at Mount Olive Baptist Church of Turner Station to also honor the first responders at the scene of the disaster.

Catch up with NBC News' coverage of the Francis Scott key Bridge collapse

A rare mayday preceded Baltimore bridge collapse: ‘I couldn’t think of a worse situation’

Video of the ship, emergency radio transmissions and analysis by maritime veterans paint a picture of a disastrous scenario — one that could have been much worse.

Why the Baltimore bridge stood little chance against a fully loaded cargo ship

Although bridges are designed to withstand impacts from ships, experts said, some events go beyond what a structure can handle

Unfounded conspiracy theories spread online after Baltimore bridge collapse

Major news events — like the pandemic, natural disasters and mass shootings — now consistently serve as fodder for fringe figures.

Construction workers at Baltimore bridge are still unaccounted for, drawing concern from co-workers

“It’s a blessing I wasn’t on there, but it comes at the cost of somebody else,” said a construction foreman who last worked on the bridge two weeks ago.

Customers from the East Coast to the Midwest could see costly impact from Baltimore bridge collapse

“The Key Bridge and Port of Baltimore are critical components of our nation’s infrastructure and supply chain,” the American Trucking Association said.

The twisted wreckage in Baltimore stands as a memorial as people gather to grieve

Many woke this morning to the frightening news that the Francis Scott Key Bridge had been struck by an immense cargo ship and collapsed.

Biden says he wants federal government to pay for rebuilding of Baltimore bridge after cargo ship crash

The president, is headed to North Carolina on Tuesday, said he also plans to visit Baltimore as “quickly” as he can.

Baltimore community shaken after 6 presumed dead

BALTIMORE — Six construction workers, who were plunged into a murky river, are presumed dead after a cargo ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. Residents and workers were stunned by the disaster.

Maryland governor pledges every effort to recover victims

Phil Helsel

Moore vowed that he would keep a promise, now more grim, to family members to use every resource available to find the six people presumed dead in today’s bridge collapse.

He had expressed hope earlier yesterday that an extensive search by boat and air could find and rescue the six people missing after the Francis Scott Key Bridge was struck by a container ship and collapsed into the Patapsco River.

“We promised them when we met with them — that we were putting every possible asset and tool at our disposal to help find their family members,” Moore said after the search was suspended.

“And, so, this evening, we wanted to let them know that even though we’ve transitioned from a search and rescue to now a recovery mission, we will use every asset to make sure they find a sense of closure,” he said. “And that’s a commitment that we will keep for these families.”

The active search and rescue was suspended at 7:30 p.m. yesterday, the Coast Guard said, and the effort moved to a recovery phase.

Officers were about to alert the construction crew when bridge collapsed

Radio traffic obtained from the  Broadcastify.com  archive indicates officers were just about to alert a construction crew when a major bridge in Baltimore collapsed after being hit by a container ship that had lost power.

The Maryland Transportation Authority first responder radio traffic includes a dispatcher putting out a call saying a ship had lost its steering ability and asking officers to stop all traffic. It took officers less than two minutes to stop traffic on the bridge.

One officer who had stopped traffic radioed that he was going to drive onto the bridge to notify the construction crew once a second officer arrived. But seconds later, a frantic officer radioed that the bridge had collapsed.

The six people who are now presumed dead were part of the construction crew, which was filling potholes on the bridge.

Container ship passed foreign inspections last year

Josh Cradduck

Dennis Romero

The container ship passed two foreign port inspections in 2023, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.

The inspections took place in June and September, but the locations were not divulged by the port where the ship, the Dali, is flagged.

“In the June 2023 inspection, a faulty monitor gauge for fuel pressure was rectified before the vessel departed the port,” the port authority said in a statement today.

In June, the vessel was scheduled for an administrative assessment that considers how it’s been regulated under a third-party “classification society” empowered by Singapore to keep an eye on it, the port said.

Its classification society is the Japan-based Nippon Kaiji Kyokai, known as ClassNK. It oversees more than 9,000 ships.

The 980-foot ship was built by Hyundai in 2014 and has a March 5, 2015, “date of build,” ClassNK information shows.

It was given a number of certificates allowing it to carry various items and goods March 4, according to the organization. The information also shows that in the last few years, it has undergone multiple “surveys” of its systems, apparently to determine if they’re working properly.

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Missing French tourist located

Home > News > Missing French tourist located

Police have located the French tourist who was reported missing earlier today.  

He had been staying in an Arthur's Pass National Park hut and was unaware people were concerned for him.  

Police would like to thank the public for their assistance in this matter. 

Issued by Police Media Centre.