Biden pledges support in visit to bridge collapse site

He vows federal funding to rebuild bridge in Baltimore but faces Republican pushback

- Bhagyashree Garekar

BALTIMORE-US President Joe Biden visited the Francis Scott Key Bridge disaster site on April 5, vowing to fund the rebuilding of the bridge.

But will the Republicans go along?

Stakes are high as the authorities work to clear tonnes of steel and concrete from the Patapsco River into which the bridge collapsed after it was struck by a Singaporeflagged cargo ship on March 26, in what is believed to be the most expensive disaster in maritime history.

"From the air, I saw the bridge ripped apart, but here on the ground, I see a community that's pulled together," Mr Biden told the media after an aerial tour.

The crippled Port of Baltimore, the 11th busiest in the country, will be fully operational by end-May, officials announced during his trip.

A temporary, alternate channel to help salvage vessels cut sections of the bridge and cart them away has been functioning since April1all during bad weather. The port has seen severe thunderstorms and high winds over the week.

Mr Biden reiterated his pledge that the federal government will foot the entire cost of rebuilding the bridge, which was knocked down when the container ship Dali lost propulsion and became adrift before it hit the 2.6km, four-lane bridge.

The bridge crumbled within minutes, with a large section collapsing atop the ship, which is stranded in the waters with nearly two dozen crew members still aboard.

"I'm here to say your nation has your back," Mr Biden said, going on to mention his generations-old family ties with Baltimore that include his father, who was born and raised in Maryland's capital city, Annapolis.

"We're going to move heaven and earth to rebuild this bridge as rapidly as humanly possible," he said, adding in a nod to his Democratic base: "And we're going to do so with union labour and American steel."