Body of Honduran Worker Recovered from Baltimore Bridge Collapse Site

It’s a well-known fact that Latin American immigrants are subjected to hard labor and dangerous situations in the U.S. That was apparent earlier this year on March 27 when the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland was struck by a container ship in the early hours of the morning, causing the entire bridge to collapse and eight construction workers to fall into the waters of the Patapsco River. They were immigrants in their 20s, 30s, and 40s from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. Though two of the workers survived and two bodies have been recovered, those of Dorlian Castillo Cabrera, 26, and Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35. Over the weekend, salvage divers were able to recover the body of a third worker, Maynor Yasir Suazo Sandoval, 38, who was from Honduras. In the meantime, search and rescue efforts are still working to recover the bodies of the three remaining missing workers.

“Maryland is praying for the family of Maynor Yasir Suazo Sandoval and all of his loved ones. They have our thoughts, our hearts, and our support,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said in a statement, The Baltimore Banner reported. “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. 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.”

Several days after the collapse of the bridge, it was found that the six victims came from Mexico and Central America including two Guatemalans from San Luis, Petén and Camotán, Chiquimula; a father of three from El Salvador; a father of two from Honduras; and two men from the states of Veracruz and Michoacán in Mexico, according to their respective country’s governments. With Suazo Sandoval’s recovery, there have been three bodies that divers have been able to find in the river so far. There are still three bodies that remain missing including Jose Lopez from Guatemala, Miguel Luna from El Salvador, and another worker whose name hasn’t been released to the public yet.

Suazo Sandoval lived in Owings Mills, Maryland and is survived by his wife, a son, 18, and a daughter, 5. He has two siblings in Maryland, along with five siblings and his mother in Honduras, USA Today reported. He immigrated from Azacualpa, Honduras 18 years ago when he was only 20 years old in search of better work opportunities, CNN reported. As a result of his construction work, he was able to financially support his family in Honduras. His monthly payments allowed the family to open and run a hotel, helped his 12 nephews and nieces to attend school, and aided them all to rise out of poverty, his cousin Héctor Suazo previously told The Baltimore Banner. He was also an active community member, donating heavily to children’s soccer leagues in Azacualpa and working with the Baltimore nonprofit CASA, who were helping him establish a pathway to citizenship before his death, according to USA Today.

“He wanted us to succeed as a family, and to then help others who need it,” his brother Martin Suazo told USA Today. “That was one of his dreams.”

Suazo Sandoval’s body will be returned to Honduras to be buried. In the meantime, government-led efforts continue to be ongoing to remove the container ship from the bridge and recover the bodies of the three remaining workers.