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Divers have recovered from the Patapsco River the body of Maynor Suazo Sandoval, a construction worker who was atop the Francis Scott Key Bridge when it collapsed.
His cousin, Héctor Suazo, on Friday evening told The Baltimore Banner he learned the news at noon in Honduras. The family is in distraught, he said, calling the news “tough but comforting.”
“All we wanted was that they find his body,” he said in Spanish from Azacualpa, Maynor’s hometown.
Maynor Suazo Sandoval is among six men confirmed or presumed to be dead after falling into the Patapsco River. The bridge collapsed when the Singapore-flagged cargo ship the Dali lost power and struck its pylon in the early hours of March 26.
Divers previously recovered the bodies of Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26.
The Unified Command, which has been coordinating recovery and salvage efforts among local, state and federal agencies at the bridge collapse site, confirmed Friday night that divers recovered Suazo Sandoval’s remains.
“There are families still waiting to hear if we have found their loved one. I can promise you we are fully committed to finding closure for each of these families,” said Col. Roland L. Butler Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland Department of State Police.
Investigators didn’t give details about where and how the remains of Sandoval were recovered.
Maryland State Police investigators, along with an FBI victim specialist, Baltimore County Critical Response Team, and Governor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs met with and notified Sandoval’s family.
“While I take solace in knowing this brings us one step closer to closure, my heart continues to be with all the families still waiting anxiously for their loved ones,” Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said in a statement. “We will continue to do everything in our power to support these families and provide whatever they need to persevere through this unthinkable tragedy.”
Gov. Wes Moore said the entire state of Maryland is praying for Sandoval’s family and his loved ones. Moore said the search for the other workers still missing will continue.
“In this moment, it’s important that we not just recognize the tragic loss of the six Marylanders who perished in the Key Bridge collapse – but also remember the ways in which they lifted up our state while they were still with us,” Moore said in a statement. “On the night of the collapse, these men were engaged in challenging, dangerous work – tending to our state’s infrastructure for our collective benefit. They hailed from communities that have gone long overlooked and underappreciated. But their work had dignity – and their contributions will never be forgotten.”
Héctor Suazo hopes his family in Maryland will be able to see his cousin’s body this weekend. After that, the body will be sent to Honduras to be buried in his homeland, he said.
That way, the family will be able to “say goodbye to him with dignity, as he deserves.”
In a previous interview with The Banner, he described Maynor as a pillar of the family who was extroverted and always full of joy.
Maynor helped his family financially, sending $600 to $800 each month, which enabled the family to run a small hotel. The family rose from poverty because of him, he said, and his 12 nephews and nieces were able to go to school.
Baltimore Banner staff writer Meredith Cohn contributed to this report.
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Clara Longo de Freitas is a neighborhood reporter covering East Baltimore communities. Before joining the Banner, she interned at The Baltimore Sun as an emerging news and community reporter. She also has design and illustration experience with several news organizations, including The Hill and NPR.
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