How many people died in Baltimore bridge collapse? What we know about 6 missing workers

BALTIMORE ? Maynor Yasir Suazo Sandoval left Azacualpa when he was 18, but about two decades later, he still helped his hometown in Honduras by sending money back for youth soccer leagues.

The construction worker is one of six who are presumed dead after a cargo vessel struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge causing it to plunge into the Patapsco River. From nearly 3,000 miles away in Maryland, Suazo Sandoval was still so connected to Azacualpa, the small town in western Honduras, that he watched the town's children play soccer on livestream video.

During one game, his cousin Himery Rigoberto Morales, who lives in Honduras, told USA TODAY that Suazo Sandoval saw a 9-year-old boy score a talented goal but the posts had no netting. Suazo Sandoval sent his cousin money the next day to buy nets.

“He wanted to improve the lives of youth in Azacualpa,” Morales said. “‘If others can, we can, too.’ That’s what he always told me.”

Eight workers were fixing potholes on the bridge when it collapsed, and two were rescued. Officials called off a search-and-rescue for the remaining six Tuesday evening. They are now working to recover the bodies of workers from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico.

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On Wednesday, Baltimore officials said divers recovered a red pickup truck submerged in 25 feet of water. Trapped in the truck, they found the bodies of Guatemalan national Dorlian Castillo Cabrera, 26, of Dundalk, and Mexican national Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, of Baltimore.

Baltimore officials said divers are no longer able to safely navigate beyond concrete that is believed to encase trapped vehicles.

On Tuesday evening, the Guatemalan Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed two Guatemalan workers, ages 26 and 35 years old, respectively from San Luis, Petén, and Camotán, Chiquimula, went missing after the bridge collapsed.

The Guatemalan nationals' families have been notified, the ministry said.

"We will continue requesting information from the authorities and information about search and rescue efforts to find the missing Guatemalans," the statement said.

In a news release, the Mexican Embassy in the U.S. said three of the eight workers were Mexican. One of them was rescued and recovered from his injuries. The other two, from the Mexican states of Veracruz and Michoacán, are still missing, the release said.

Miguel Luna

A Baltimore day worker center identified a longtime worker from El Salvador who didn't return home after working on the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

In a news release, CASA said Miguel Luna, a husband and father of three who lived in Maryland for over 19 years, left for work on Monday around 6:30 p.m. He was a longtime member of CASA, a nonprofit day worker center that provides assistance for workers, the release said.

“Providing humanitarian support during this crisis is the priority, as families navigate this tragedy and seek answers about their missing loved ones,” Gustavo Torres, CASA’s executive director, said in a statement. “The entire Baltimore region and CASA family is lamenting this tragedy.”

Alexandra Hill Tinoco, El Salvador's minister of foreign affairs, said on social media that Luna was among the missing. Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, she said, offered government support to the Luna family.

Maynor Yasir Suazo Sandoval

Wilson Paz, director-general of the protection of Honduran migrants, confirmed Suazo Sandoval, the Honduran man, is among the missing. Honduran officials made contact with Suazo Sandoval's brother in Honduras and another sibling in the U.S.

In a Wednesday afternoon news conference, Torres, of CASA, said Suazo Sandoval was also a member of the center for more than a decade. Suazo Sandoval has a wife and two children and in Owing Mills, Maryland, Torres said.

CASA, which helps to place workers with employers, did not contract Luna and Suazo Sandoval for the worksite on the bridge, Torres said. Still, Torres said the two represent the hard work immigrants in this country do in dangerous jobs like highway work to make roads safer.

"In a time when there's so much hatred against the immigrant community, we look to the quiet leadership of Miguel and Maynor, and how they uphold our society, so the Americans can be comfortable," Torres said.

Jose Lopez

A family identified one of the missing workers from Guatemala as Jose Lopez. His mother, Nora Lopez, told Univision TV that he had been in the United States for 19 years and had two children.

"My son was a good son, he went to the United States and said he was going to help his family," Nora Lopez said through tears in Camotan, Guatemala.

“I hope they find my son alive,” she added.

Contributing: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Baltimore bridge collapse death toll: 2 missing workers identified