Photos released by the U.S. Navy reveal the wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge resting at the bottom of the Patapsco River in Baltimore, Maryland. The images, posted online by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, showcase the magnitude of the salvage operation ahead.

The 3D images, captured by divers using the CODA Octopus underwater sonar imaging tool, were supplied by the Navy's Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV). However, the murky water and thick mud at the riverbed have limited visibility for the divers to just one to two feet.

The Army Corps of Engineers explained that divers are forced to work in virtual darkness due to the poor visibility. Verbal directions are provided by operators in vessels topside, who rely on real-time CODA imagery to guide the divers.

The difficult salvage operation has been compounded by rough weather conditions, including lightning that halted recovery efforts. Despite these challenges, Maryland workers have managed to open a second temporary channel at the site where the cargo ship struck the bridge, causing its collapse. The new channel is 14 feet deep, while another temporary channel on the north side of the bridge measures 11 feet in depth.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore highlighted that the center of the bridge is approximately 50 feet deep, posing a significant obstacle for large cargo ships that typically require depths of at least 35 feet. Recovery efforts were temporarily hampered as cranes could not operate due to the lightning in the vicinity.

The incident occurred on March 26 when the container ship Dali crashed into the bridge after losing power and propulsion. The crew issued a mayday signal, allowing law enforcement to halt traffic before the bridge's collapse caused by the ship striking a support pylon.

Tragically, the collapsing bridge claimed the lives of four construction workers who were at the scene. Divers have been unable to recover their bodies thus far. Two workers survived and were rescued from the water, one sustaining critical injuries. Two bodies were found in a submerged pickup truck.

The salvage operation, as depicted by the released photos, highlights the immense challenges faced in retrieving the wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge from the depths of the Patapsco River. Efforts continue to recover the missing bodies and restore safe passage through the channel.