The search for José Mynor López, the last victim of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, came to a somber end on Tuesday as authorities recovered his body from the Patapsco River. Six weeks after the tragic incident, which occurred when a cargo ship collided with a support beam, all six men from the construction crew have been located.
López, 37, was among the crew members from Brawner Builders working on the bridge when disaster struck. His uncle, Wilmer Lopez Orellana, expressed relief upon hearing the news of the recovery, stating that the family hopes to lay López to rest in Guatemala, where he leaves behind four children.
The other victims, Dorlian Castillo Cabrera, Maynor Suazo Sandoval, Alejandro Hernández Fuentes, Carlos Daniel Hernandez, and Miguel Ángel Luna González, were also identified and recovered in the weeks following the collapse.
Gustavo Torres, director of the immigrant advocacy group CASA, commended the efforts to bring closure to the families affected by the tragedy. He remarked on the contributions of the deceased workers and emphasized the importance of honoring their memory.
Salvage divers located López’s body before it was recovered by a joint effort involving state police, transportation authority police, and the FBI. López, who resided in Dundalk, was remembered by friends as a jovial individual with a passion for music.
Pascual Magaña, a former colleague of López, expressed gratitude for the recovery and fondly recalled his friend’s cheerful demeanor. Melvin Ruiz, another former coworker, acknowledged the bittersweet nature of the discovery, recognizing the closure it brings to López’s family.
Meanwhile, in Honduras, preparations were underway for the burial of Maynor Suazo Sandoval, who returned home posthumously. His brother, Martín Suazo Sandoval, described him as a compassionate individual who aspired to improve his circumstances but ultimately found work in the United States due to limited opportunities in Honduras.