Dali cargo ship to be refloated at high tide 2 days after explosives break up collapsed bridge truss

AND MEANTIME UNIFIED COMMAND IS PREPARING TO REMOVE A PIECE OF THE KEY BRIDGE ON TOP OF THE DOLLY CARGO SHIP AND AS 11 NEWS INVESTIGATES, FIRST REPORTED YESTERDAY, CREW MEMBERS THEY’LL STAY ON BOARD WHILE EXPLOSIVES ARE USED TO BREAK UP THAT PIECE. ONE MARITIME LAWYER IS QUESTIONING WHY THOSE CREW MEMBERS AREN’T BEING TEMPORARILY REMOVED FROM THE SHIP. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER TOLLY TAYLOR JOINS US NOW LIVE IN STUDIO TOLLY. UNIFIED COMMAND RELEASED A VIDEO ABOUT THE EXPLOSIVE. YEAH, AND THIS IS THAT VIDEO WITH A NARRATOR EXPLAINING HOW HIGHLY CONTROLLED EXPLOSIVES WILL BE USED TO GET PART OF THE KEY BRIDGE OFF THE SHIP. BUT THE MARITIME LAWYER I SPOKE TO SAYS THERE’S NO LEGAL REASON PREVENTING THE SHIP’S CREW FROM BEING EVACUATED WHILE THE EXPLOSIVES ARE DETONATED. 11 NEWS INVESTIGATES REPORTED ON TUESDAY THAT UNIFIED COMMAND HAS DECIDED TO USE PRECISION EXPLOSIVES TO REMOVE PART OF THE KEY BRIDGE FROM THE BOW OF THE DOLLY CARGO SHIP UNIFIED COMMAND, SAYING IT’S SAFE FOR THE 21 MEMBER CREW TO SHELTER IN PLACE ON BOARD THE SHIP. WHILE THE DETONATION TAKES PLACE. AFTER LEARNING THAT THE CREW WILL BE STAYING ON THE SHIP WHILE THEY USE THESE PRECISION EXPLOSIVES, WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION? UH, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A SHOCK. WHILE ALEX GILES IS QUICK TO POINT OUT THAT HE’S NOT AN EXPERT IN SALVAGE OPERATIONS OR THE USE OF EXPLOSIVE CVS, HE HAS BEEN A MARITIME LAWYER FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES, AND HE SAYS WHILE THERE WAS A FEDERAL LAW PASSED AFTER NINE OVER 11, THAT MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR FOREIGN CREW MEMBERS TO HAVE FREE SHORE LEAVE ON U.S. SOIL. HE ALSO POINTS OUT THAT UNIFIED COMMAND HAS ANOTHER OPTION THEY CAN DISEMBARK THE 21 CREW MEMBERS AND PUT THEM ON ANOTHER VESSEL, AND THE VESSEL COULD SAIL AWAY 1000 YARDS AND AND THEY CAN BE CONFINED NOT ON LAND, NOT FREE TO JUST RUN ABOUT, GILES SAYS UNIFIED COMMAND MAY WELL HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THERE’S A 99% CHANCE THAT NOTHING WILL GO WRONG WITH THE CREW ON BOARD THE SHIP. THAT STILL LEAVES A 1% CHANCE THAT SOMETHING GOES WRONG WITH THE EXPLOSIVES. SO IF THEY WERE TO WITH FULL KNOWLEDGE OF OF THE RISK ASSESSMENTS, LEAVE THE CREW ON WHEN THEY COULD HAVE EASILY JUST PULLED THEM OFF AND GOD FORBID IT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, IT RESULTS IN SOMETHING LARGER THAN IT SHOULD THAT WOULD BE A MISTAKE IN MY OPINION. AND JUST HOURS AGO, I SPOKE TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SEAMEN’S CHURCH INSTITUTE, WHICH HAS BOARDED THE DOLLY TWICE SINCE IT HIT THE KEY BRIDGE. HE TELLS ME SOME CREW MEMBERS ARE WORRIED THEY WON’T BE ALLOWED TO LEAVE BALTIMORE AS LONG AS THE FBI AND NTSB INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE AND THAT SOME OF THEM CAN’T PAY THEIR BILLS BACK HOME BECAUSE THE FBI SEIZED ALL OF THEIR ELECTRONIC DEVICES. YOU CAN READ MY FULL REPORTING ON THIS RIGHT NOW ON THE WBAL TV AP

The Dali cargo ship will be refloated at high tide two days after explosives are detonated to remove the truss of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge, according to Unified Command's current plan.Video above: Some Dali crew members worry about paying bills amid FBI caseOn Tuesday, 11 News Investigates broke the news that Unified Command plans to use explosives to remove part of the bridge truss from the Dali and that the crew members will remain on board during the detonation.About 50% of charges have been placed on the bridge truss so far. Detonation could take place sometime this weekend, followed by safety inspections and the refloating of the Dali two days later. Recreational vessels can transit through at this timeAdditionally, the Captain of the Port established a transit plan for recreational vessels to transit through the Key Bridge Response Safety Zone.Traffic will be one-way at a time during one period: Sunday, May 12, outbound transits will be permitted from 10-11 a.m. (THIS IS A CHANGE FROM FIRST PLAN), and inbound transits will be permitted from 11 a.m. to noon (THIS IS A CHANGE FROM FIRST PLAN).These time periods could be canceled at any time for safety reasons. Mariners must monitor VHF Channel 16 and 81A while transiting the area.Unified Command said all recreational vessels must stay within the marked channel, and heed directions by on-scene patrol vessels.Why controlled demolition will break up remaining bridge spanUnified Command explained to 11 News Investigates that it's using controlled demolition to remove the remaining bridge span from the bow of the Dali because of its sheer size and weight.The steel truss resting on the deck of the Dali is roughly 500 feet long, 80 feet wide and weighs 8-12 million pounds. Unified Command said in a statement that the steel frame is under a tremendous amount of pressure and tension"Because of the unknown variables of workers cutting it apart piece by piece, we are using an industry-standard method of precision pressure charges to finish breaking the truss apart."According to Unified Command, the small charges — a standard controlled demolition tool — will split the large section of truss at specific locations to create multiple, smaller sections. Each 12-by-12-by-1-inch square of steel weighs just over 40 pounds; the steel on the truss averages about 4 inches thick."The detonation sequence is timed, so the pieces will fall into the water for later retrieval by salvors, and in a manner that's unlikely to cause additional damage to the Dali."This will allow salvors to use cranes and barges to remove the pieces and ultimately remove the Dali from the channel.Barring any unexpected delays, the controlled demolition is expected to take place this weekend, according to Unified Command. Video below: Unified Command releases simulation video to explain precision cuts demolition

BALTIMORE —

The Dali cargo ship will be refloated at high tide two days after explosives are detonated to remove the truss of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge, according to Unified Command's current plan.

Video above: Some Dali crew members worry about paying bills amid FBI case

On Tuesday, 11 News Investigates broke the news that Unified Command plans to use explosives to remove part of the bridge truss from the Dali and that the crew members will remain on board during the detonation.

About 50% of charges have been placed on the bridge truss so far. Detonation could take place sometime this weekend, followed by safety inspections and the refloating of the Dali two days later.

Recreational vessels can transit through at this time

Additionally, the Captain of the Port established a transit plan for recreational vessels to transit through the Key Bridge Response Safety Zone.

Traffic will be one-way at a time during one period: Sunday, May 12, outbound transits will be permitted from 10-11 a.m. (THIS IS A CHANGE FROM FIRST PLAN), and inbound transits will be permitted from 11 a.m. to noon (THIS IS A CHANGE FROM FIRST PLAN).

These time periods could be canceled at any time for safety reasons. Mariners must monitor VHF Channel 16 and 81A while transiting the area.

Unified Command said all recreational vessels must stay within the marked channel, and heed directions by on-scene patrol vessels.

Why controlled demolition will break up remaining bridge span

Unified Command explained to 11 News Investigates that it's using controlled demolition to remove the remaining bridge span from the bow of the Dali because of its sheer size and weight.

The steel truss resting on the deck of the Dali is roughly 500 feet long, 80 feet wide and weighs 8-12 million pounds. Unified Command said in a statement that the steel frame is under a tremendous amount of pressure and tension

"Because of the unknown variables of workers cutting it apart piece by piece, we are using an industry-standard method of precision pressure charges to finish breaking the truss apart."

According to Unified Command, the small charges — a standard controlled demolition tool — will split the large section of truss at specific locations to create multiple, smaller sections. Each 12-by-12-by-1-inch square of steel weighs just over 40 pounds; the steel on the truss averages about 4 inches thick.

"The detonation sequence is timed, so the pieces will fall into the water for later retrieval by salvors, and in a manner that's unlikely to cause additional damage to the Dali."

This will allow salvors to use cranes and barges to remove the pieces and ultimately remove the Dali from the channel.

Barring any unexpected delays, the controlled demolition is expected to take place this weekend, according to Unified Command.

Video below: Unified Command releases simulation video to explain precision cuts demolition