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AF TRAVEL LIMITED

Company number 13630675

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AF Travel commenced business in 1985 and became part of the Citystate Group in 2000. Based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, it’s core products are Corporate Travel Management, Group Incentive and Leisure travel arrangements, and cruise retail. AF Travel also markets a wide range of tours and hotels for independent travellers, which are available online. AF Travel is a TDC licensed and an IATA accredited travel agency. We have been receiving high achievers awards from airlines like Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airlines and Korean Airlines.

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Key Bridge collapse mapped: Where is the Baltimore bridge and where did it fall into the river?

Emergency services are searching for people in the water after the francis scott key bridge in baltimore was struck by a container ship, article bookmarked.

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A “mass casualty incident” has been declared after a bridge in Baltimore collapsed , leaving authorities searching for seven people who have fallen in the river.

A part of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, in Maryland, came down after a container ship hit it early on Tuesday morning.

The 1.6 mile-long bridge carries Route 695 and is the third longest length of unsupported roadway in the world. It crosses the Patapsco River in the southeastern corner of Baltimore City, which is a major sea port on the Atlantic Ocean coastline.

Follow our live blog on this breaking incident by clicking here

The bridge was struck by a large vessel at around 1.30am local time, with multiple vehicles falling into the water below. The boat also caught on fire.

Ship tracking data shows it was a Singapore-flagged container ship, the Dali , at the location along the Key Bridge where the accident occurred. Allof its crew, including the two pilots, have been reportedly accounted for.

Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told news agency AP that 911 calls reported a vessel travelling outbound from Baltimore had struck a column on the bridge, causing it to collapse.

Multiple vehicles were on the bridge at the time, including one the size of a tractor-trailer.

Mr Cartwright said: “This is currently a mass casualty incident and we are searching for seven people who are in the river.”

He said it’s too early to know how many people were affected, but called the collapse a “developing mass casualty event”.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapses in the middle after it is hit by a container ship

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said: “I’m aware of and en route to the incident at the Key Bridge... Emergency personnel are on scene, and efforts are underway.”

The Maryland Transportation Authority said: “All lanes closed both directions for incident on I-695 Key Bridge. Traffic is being detoured.”

The bridge opened in 1977 and cost an estimated $60.3m. It is named after Mr Key, the writer of the US national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, who was born in Maryland in 1779.

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What we know about Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse

The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed early Tuesday after being hit by a cargo ship, with large parts of the bridge falling into the Patapsco River.

At least eight people fell into the water, members of a construction crew working on the bridge at the time, officials said. Two were rescued, one uninjured and one in serious condition, and two bodies were recovered on Wednesday. The remaining four are presumed dead. The workers are believed to be the only victims in the disaster.

Here’s what we know so far.

Baltimore bridge collapse

How it happened: Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after being hit by a cargo ship . The container ship lost power shortly before hitting the bridge, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) said. Video shows the bridge collapse in under 40 seconds.

Victims: Divers have recovered the bodies of two construction workers , officials said. They were fathers, husbands and hard workers . A mayday call from the ship prompted first responders to shut down traffic on the four-lane bridge, saving lives.

Economic impact: The collapse of the bridge severed ocean links to the Port of Baltimore, which provides about 20,000 jobs to the area . See how the collapse will disrupt the supply of cars, coal and other goods .

Rebuilding: The bridge, built in the 1970s , will probably take years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild , experts said.

• Baltimore bridge collapse: Crane arrives at crash site to aid cleanup March 29, 2024 Baltimore bridge collapse: Crane arrives at crash site to aid cleanup March 29, 2024
• Officials studied Baltimore bridge risks but didn’t prepare for ship strike March 29, 2024 Officials studied Baltimore bridge risks but didn’t prepare for ship strike March 29, 2024
• Baltimore begins massive and dangerous cleanup after bridge collapse March 28, 2024 Baltimore begins massive and dangerous cleanup after bridge collapse March 28, 2024

Six presumed dead in Baltimore bridge collapse as rescue efforts called off

Coastguard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath says authorities do not expect to find any of the missing alive.

Six workers are missing and presumed dead following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the United States city of Baltimore, as authorities called a halt to search-and-rescue efforts.

US Coastguard and Maryland State Police officials said late on Tuesday that search-and-rescue operations had been suspended as dive teams were facing increasingly dangerous conditions in the darkened waters of the Patapsco River.

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“At this point, we do not believe we are going to find any of these individuals still alive,” Coastguard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said at a news conference.

State Police Colonel Roland Butler said authorities intended to return divers to the water after sunrise on Wednesday in an effort to recover the deceased’s remains.

Authorities said the Dali cargo ship crashed into the bridge at about 1:30am (05:30 GMT) on Tuesday, catching fire before sinking. In a spectacular moment of destruction caught on video, the bridge buckled and then fell into the water.

Officials initially called the incident a “developing mass casualty event” but said later that eight people were believed to have fallen into the water. Two were rescued, with one in serious condition and one later released from the hospital.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon M Scott and Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced states of emergency for the city and state.

“It looked like something out of an action movie,” Scott told a news conference, calling it “an unthinkable tragedy”.

In remarks after the collapse, President Joe Biden said he planned to visit the site “as quickly as I can”.

He added he would request federal funds from Congress to rebuild the bridge. It had previously served as a vital artery to the northeast region of the US, accommodating 30,000 cars a day.

The Port of Baltimore was also shut down after the crash, bringing one of the country’s busiest maritime shipping terminals to a standstill. Biden described it as the “top port in America for both imports and exports of automobiles and light trucks”.

“This is going to take some time,” Biden said of recovery and rebuilding efforts. “The people of Baltimore can count on us, though, to stick with them at every step of the way until the port is reopened and the bridge is rebuilt.”

Nothing to indicate ‘intentional’

Biden also said there was nothing to indicate the collision was “intentional”. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) also said earlier in the day there was no credible information to suggest terrorism.

Jennifer Homendy, the chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said a 24-member team from her agency would launch an investigation once search-and-rescue operations are completed.

That investigation will probe both the safety of the ship and the structural integrity of the bridge.

Dali, the cargo ship involved in the crash, was owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd and managed by the Singapore-based Synergy Marine Group.

The container ship was about 300 metres (985 feet) long and about 48 metres (147 feet) wide. It was travelling at about 8 knots, or roughly 14.8km/hour (9 mph), when it slammed into a pillar of the bridge.

The vessel caught fire after the collision and thick black smoke billowed out of it. The bridge, meanwhile, crumpled like a toy.

Before it buckled, the Francis Scott Key Bridge had stretched 2.6km (1.6 miles) over the Patapsco River, which leads to the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean.

Frantic mayday call

Governor Moore said the ship’s crew issued a mayday call moments before the crash took place, reporting an apparent power failure. That call allowed authorities to mostly stop traffic on the bridge.

“These people are heroes,” Moore said of the crew. “They saved lives last night.”

According to radio traffic obtained from Broadcastify.com, a police dispatcher put out a call saying a ship had lost its steering and asked officers to stop all traffic

One officer radioed that he was going to drive onto the bridge to alert a construction crew filling potholes there. But seconds later, an officer was heard saying: “The whole bridge just fell down. Start, start whoever, everybody … The whole bridge just collapsed.”

Six construction workers disappeared in the debris.

Jeffrey Pritzker – the executive vice president of Brawner Builders, the company that employed the workers – said the crew was working in the middle of the bridge and the six missing workers are presumed dead.

“This was so completely unforeseen,” Pritzker said. “We don’t know what else to say. We take such great pride in safety and we have cones and signs and lights and barriers and flaggers. But we never foresaw that the bridge would collapse.”

The executive for Prince George’s County, Angela Alsobrooks, posted on X that police divers were unable to access the area because underwater drones show “an abundance of twisted metal and debris”.

Meanwhile, Jesus Campos, an employee of Brawner Builders, told the Associated Press news agency that he had been told the workers were on break when the bridge collapsed.

Campos had previously worked on the bridge and prayed that his colleagues were not harmed.

“It is so hard for me to describe. I know that a month ago, I was there  and I know what it feels like when the trailers pass. Imagine knowing that it is falling. It is so hard, one would not know what to do,” Campos said.

‘Cathedrals of American infrastructure’

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg hailed the Francis Scott Key Bridge as “one of the cathedrals of American infrastructure”.

“It has been part of the skyline for this region for longer than many of us have been alive,” he said.

The bridge opened in 1977 and is named for the poet who provided the lyrics for The Star-Spangled Banner, the US national anthem.

When asked if US residents should be confident in the safety of other bridges in the area, Buttigieg said the collapse was a “unique situation”.

All vessel traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore remains suspended until further notice, although the facility is still open to trucks.

The White House said it would be monitoring for any disruptions to the US supply change as a result of the collision, which is all but assured to cause a logistical nightmare in the months ahead.

Ryan Petersen, the CEO of Flexport, a supply chain management company, said Americans should expect shortages of goods in the coming weeks. He predicted the collision would create a “vicious feedback loop” that would resonate beyond Baltimore’s economy.

The Port of Baltimore’s private and public terminals handled 847,158 cars and light trucks in 2023, the most of any US port. The port also handles farm and construction machinery, sugar, gypsum and coal, according to the Maryland State Government website.

On Tuesday, Maryland State Senator Johnny Ray Salling warned: “Losing this bridge will devastate the entire area, as well as the entire East Coast.”

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Plan Your Visit to Lee Valley Ice Centre

Opening hours   Email us 

How to get here

The best way to reach us is by public transport. There’s a bus stop right outside, and Lea Bridge and Clapton stations are short walks away. There’s limited car parking on site (charges payable).

If this car park is full visitors must park at Westfield Stratford City (about three miles away) and catch a train, bus or walk to the venue.

Centre address

Lee Valley Ice Centre, Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, London E10 7QL

Public transport

The closest station is Lea Bridge with Clapton overground a short walk away. The venue can also be reached by bus on the routes 55 and 56. We also have bike storage available at the venue.

We have covered storage available for 110 bikes.

Lee Valley Ice Centre is located just off the A104 Lea Bridge Road next to the Lee Valley Riding Centre. We're located within easy reach from the M11, A406 north circular road the A12 and the A10. 

155 car parking spaces will be available for customers to use, along with 32 electric vehicle charging points available in the car park.

Please note, venue users using the facilities including gym, fitness classes and ice rinks are entitled to up to four hours free car parking. Customers using the venue have to enter their registrations in the terminal in the reception area on arrival to get free parking for up to 4 hours. General visitors to the area using the car park can receive up to two hours free parking when they spend £5 in the venue café. Click here to find out more about our car parking charges.

Ticketed events

At Lee Valley Ice Centre, there is no parking for ticketed events. This is not a decision made by the venue, it’s one of the conditions of the planning permission which was granted for the venue to be built which must be strictly followed. You can travel to the venue via public transport. There’s a bus stop right outside, and Lea Bridge and Clapton stations are short walks away. If you do wish to drive, you must not park in any local roads but you can park at Westfield Stratford City and catch a train, Lea Bridge is one stop from Stratford, bus or walk to the venue.

Frequently asked questions

Venue accessibility.

How accessible is the building?

There is a flat pavement access into the building and lift access to the first floor.

Is there disabled parking at Lee Valley Ice Centre?

The venue offers  16 blue badge parking bays.

Can I use all the facilities?

The venue is fully accessible and where possible, provisions have been made to our programming to provide accessibility.

Changing rooms and lockers

Are lockers available? 

Yes, we have two types of lockers available. Smaller lockers located in the skate hire and larger lockers located in the changing room area suitable for Ice Hockey kit.

How much do the lockers cost?

Small lockers require a coin size token and the larger lockers a padlock. You can purchase a token or padlock at reception:

Token £1

Padlock £5

The venue is cashless, so we unfortunately cannot accept any coins.

Do we have accessible toilets and changing areas?

Yes, toilets and changing areas are available at the venue.

What types of changing rooms are available?

Male, female and accessible changing rooms are available to all customers.

How many changing rooms are available?

There are six team changing rooms with additional changing rooms available for referees.

Ice Skating - Public sessions

How do I make a booking? 

Customers can make a booking online , via the Better UK app or at the Centre.

What are the age limitations on public ice skating sessions? 

The minimum age is 3+. Anyone under the age of eight must be accompanied and supervised on the ice by a parent or legal guardian at all times. Those aged eight and above are welcome to use the ice unaccompanied.

What's the dress code? 

There is no formal dress code however; we encourage those ice skating to wrap up warm with gloves, thick socks and clothing that covers arms as well as legs.

Can I spectate a public skating session? 

Yes, members of the public will be able to spectate a session for an additional fee . Please see prices for more informaition.

What size skate shoes do you have? 

The smallest size skates we have are Junior UK7, the largest size skates are UK15 

Ice Skating - Learn to Skate

  How do I sign up for a Learn to Skate course?

Customers are able to sign up for lessons online , via the app or at the venue.

What’s the minimum age for registering to a Learn to Skate session?

We run classes aimed at different ages and abilities. The minimum age is 3+ for Learn to Skate sessions with skates available to rent from child size UK 7.

Can I get private lessons?

Yes, private lessons will be available with our ice skating coaches - more information coming soon.

Can I get a private group lesson?

Yes, private group lessons will be available to book through our coaching team.

How do I book a private or group lesson?

Please contact our venue team directly [email protected]

  What equipment is available in the gym?

Our spacious and fully equipped gym offers a range of stylish new fitness equipment including 70+ pieces of the latest Technogym kit. The gym is designed with open space for functional training, an extensive selection of free weights as well as dedicated cardio and strength area s.

Do I need to have a membership to attend the gym?

We’d recommend you to sign up to one of our Health and Fitness memberships, but you can choose the Pay as You Go option if you’d prefer.

If I have a Better Health UK membership can I use the gym?

Yes, if you have a Better Health UK wide membership you can access the gym and fitness classes at Lee Valley Ice Centre

How much does it cost to use the gym?

If you don’t have a membership and want to Pay as You Go, check out the prices.

Are junior gym sessions available?

Yes, junior gym sessions will be available for those between the ages of 11 - 17.  

Fitness Classes

  What’s the class programming? 

We offer a range of different classes, take a look at our fitness classes page .

Are classes included in my membership?

Yes, classes are included in the Health and Fitness Memberships .

Do I have to have a membership to take part in a Fitness class?

No, you can chose the Pay as You Go option.

Can I turn up and take part in a class?

We’d recommend booking your Fitness Class in advance to avoid any disappointment.

Clubs and Partners

Will there be an ice hockey team or ice skating club I can join?

Yes, our home club for ice hockey will be the Lee Valley Lions. Our home club for synchro team skating will be the Lee Valley London Skating Club. We will also be working with other groups and clubs, further details can be found in our clubs and partners section.

Will curling be available?

We will not be able to cater for professional curling clubs or groups.

How can I join a skate club?

You can contact one of the clubs directly online or will be able to speak to our venue staff for further information.

Please visit our ice skating page for more information on our ice skating and hockey clubs .

Cafe and community space

What are the cafe opening hours?

For the most up to date opening times take a look at the main page

Are there vegan, vegetarian and healthy menu options available?

Yes, vegan vegetarian and healthy options will be available.

  Can I book a school trip?

Yes, you can this by contacting the venue team via email .

Birthday Parties

Will birthday parties be available to book?

Yes, you'll be able to book your ice birthday party online.

Can you private hire the venue?

We allow private hire for ice activities to clubs, partners and those with filming enquiries. For any other enquiries, please contact our venue team directly via email.

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March 26, 2024 - Baltimore Key Bridge collapses after ship collision

By Helen Regan , Kathleen Magramo , Antoinette Radford, Alisha Ebrahimji , Maureen Chowdhury , Rachel Ramirez , Elise Hammond , Aditi Sangal , Tori B. Powell , Piper Hudspeth Blackburn and Kathleen Magramo , CNN

Our live coverage of the Baltimore bridge collapse has moved here .

Crew member on DALI said everyone on board was safe hours after bridge collapse, official says

From CNN’s Amy Simonson

A crew member on the DALI cargo ship sent a message hours after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed Tuesday saying everybody on board was safe, according to Apostleship of the Sea director Andy Middleton.

Middleton, who spent time with the captain of the DALI Monday, told CNN’s Laura Coates he reached out to a crew member after hearing about the incident Tuesday morning. 

He said there were 22 members aboard the ship from India who were setting sail earlier Tuesday morning and were heading toward Sri Lanka.

“I was able to reach out to a crew member very early this morning around 5:30 (a.m. ET) or 6 (a.m. ET) and get a message to them asking if they were OK,” he said. “That crew member responded within just a few minutes advising that the crew was safe, and everybody that [was] on board was safe.”

Middleton was told by the ship's captain Monday that the vessel was going to take a longer route to avoid risks along the Yemen coast.

“When I was out with the captain yesterday, we were talking while we were driving, and he advised that they were sailing down and around the tip of South Africa in order to avoid the incidents that are going on off the Yemen coast, and it was a safer way to go,” he said.

Middleton said the  Apostleship of the Sea  is a ministry to seafarers with members that spend time in the port and on the vessels as a friendly face to the seafarers that visit the Port of Baltimore, “taking care of their needs to make sure that they're reminded of their God-given human dignity when they're here in Baltimore.”

Search operation ends in "heartbreaking conclusion," Maryland governor says. Here's the latest

From CNN staff

Six people, who were believed to be part of a road construction crew, are presumed dead after Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday morning. The collapse came after a 984-foot cargo ship hit the bridge's pillar.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore told reporters Tuesday evening it's a "really heartbreaking conclusion to a challenging day."

Late Tuesday, it was discovered that two of the construction workers who went missing after the bridge collapsed were from Guatemala , the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said late Tuesday.

Here's what you should know to get up to speed:

• The victims: Eight people were on the bridge  when it fell, according to officials. At least two people were rescued — one was taken to the hospital and was later  discharged , fire official and the medical center said.
• The incident: Video shows the moment the entire bridge structure falls into the water, as the ship hits one of the bridge's pillars. CNN analysis shows that the  ships lights flickered  and it veered off course before it hit the bridge. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said the crew on the ship were able to issue a "mayday" before colliding into the bridge, which allowed the authorities to stop incoming traffic from going onto the bridge.
• Response efforts: Earlier, dive teams from various state and local agencies were brought in to assist in search-and-rescue operations, according to Maryland State Police Secretary Col. Roland L. Butler Jr.. The mission started with 50 personnel and continued to grow before the Coast Guard announced Tuesday evening that it was suspending its active search-and-rescue operation and transitioning to a "different phase."
• The investigation: Authorities are still working to establish exactly how the crash occurred. The National Transportation Safety Board will look into  how the bridge was built  and investigate the structure itself. It will "take time to dig through" whether the bridge had ever been  flagged for any safety deficiencies , NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said.
• Rebuilding the bridge: US Sen. Chris Van Hollen said the path to rebuilding the bridge will be "long and expensive." Senior White House adviser Tom Perez told reporters Tuesday “it’s too early” to tell how long it will take to rebuild the bridge. President Joe Biden said Tuesday he wants the federal government to bear the full cost of rebuilding the collapsed bridge, noting that it will not wait for the company who owns the container ship DALI to shoulder the costs. Funding could come from the Federal Highway Administration as well as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, but it may require additional funding from Congress.

2 of the missing construction workers from bridge collapse were from Guatemala, foreign ministry says

From CNN’s Allison Gordon, Flora Charner and Amy Simonson

Two of the construction workers missing from the bridge collapse in Baltimore were from Guatemala, the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement late Tuesday.

Those missing included a 26-year-old originally from San Luis, Petén. The other is a 35-year-old from Camotán, Chiquimula, the statement said.

The ministry said both were part of a work team “repairing the asphalt on the bridge at the time of the accident.”

The statement did not name the two people missing, but it said the country’s consul general in Maryland “went to the area where the families of those affected are located,” where he hopes to be able to meet with the brothers of both missing people.

The consulate   also issued a statement Tuesday saying its consul general in Maryland "remains in contact with local authorities," and also confirmed that two of those missing "were of Guatemalan origin.”

Six people, who were believed to be part of a road construction crew, are presumed dead after Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday morning when a cargo ship hit the bridge's pillar.

State and federal officials have not released information about the identities of any of the six missing workers.

Underwater mapping of bridge collapse area to begin Wednesday, Baltimore fire chief says

From CNN's Jennifer Henderson

Search operations near the Key Bridge collapse have shut down for the night due to dangerous conditions, but the process of underwater mapping with many local, state and federal dive teams will begin Wednesday, Baltimore City Fire Chief James Wallace told CNN’s Anderson Cooper Tuesday night.

Wallace said the portion of the Patapsco River is “tidal influenced, so it goes through tide cycles just like the open waters of the Chesapeake Bay does.”

The water depths in the area under the bridge vary from 40 feet to more than 60 feet, Wallace said. The deeper the divers go, the colder the temperatures they encounter, and the visibility is zero, he added.

 Wallace said when crews arrived Tuesday morning, the surface water temperatures of the Patapsco River were about 47 degrees with an air temperature of 44-45 degrees.

Here's what you should know about the historic Francis Scott Key Bridge

The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday after a massive container ship lost power and crashed into the iconic Baltimore bridge, sending people and vehicles into the frigid Patapsco River.

Six people, believed to be part of a road construction crew, are presumed dead and the Coast Guard has ended its active search and rescue mission.

Here's what you should know about the historic bridge:

• How old?: The Francis Scott Key Bridge, also referred to as just the Key Bridge, opened to traffic in March 1977 and is the final link in the Baltimore Beltway, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA.) It crosses over the 50-foot-deep Patapsco River, where former US attorney Francis Scott Key found inspiration to write the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner, the MDTA says.
• How long?: The bridge was 1.6 miles long when standing, MDTA reports.
• Traffic volume: More than 30,000 people commuted daily on the bridge, according to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.
• How much did it cost?: The bridge cost $60.3 million to build, MDTA says. Since its collapse, President Joe Biden said he’s committed to helping rebuild the bridge as soon as possible.
• About the port: Baltimore ranks as the ninth biggest US port for international cargo. It handled a record 52.3 million tons, valued at $80.8 billion, in 2023. According to the Maryland state government, the port supports 15,330 direct jobs and 139,180 jobs in related services.
• About the ship: The bridge collapsed after a container vessel called Dali collided with one of its supports. Dali is operated by Singapore-based Synergy Group but had been chartered to carry cargo by Danish shipping giant Maersk . The ship is about 984 feet long , according to MarineTraffic data. That’s the length of almost three football fields.

Baltimore woman says bridge collapse was "like a piece of family dissolved"

From CNN's Kit Maher

For longtime Baltimore resident, Ceely, who opted not to share her last name, seeing footage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse  Tuesday was deeply personal.

“I was very heavy-hearted,” Ceely told CNN. “Very tearful, thinking about the families whose loved ones may be in the water and just remembering when the bridge was constructed, and it was just like a piece of family dissolved.”

Ceely was at a prayer group Tuesday morning when she saw the news. She recalled being afraid when she first crossed the bridge while in Ford Maverick in 1975, but grew to like it because it saved time on the road.

“It was a main artery just like a blood line. It was a main artery to the other side of town. It was awesome. It beat going through the city all the time,” she said.

Elder Rashad A. Singletary , a senior pastor who led Tuesday night’s vigil at Mt. Olive Baptist Church told CNN that many church members watched the bridge's construction.

"It’s a part of the community. A lot of our individuals in our congregation drive that bridge to go to work, and so now it’s really a life changing moment,” he said.

"Heartbreaking conclusion to a challenging day," Maryland governor says as Coast Guard ended search operation

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

More than 18 hours after the collapse of the Baltimore bridge, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said it was a heartbreaking conclusion after the Coast Guard ended the search-and-rescue operation for the six people who were on the bridge when it collapsed.

It's a "really heartbreaking conclusion to a challenging day," he said.

"We put every single asset possible — air, land and sea" to find the missing people, he told reporters on Tuesday evening. "While even though we're moving on now to a recovery mission, we're still fully committed to making sure that we're going to use every single asset to now bring a sense of closure to the families," the governor added.

6 people presumed dead after Baltimore bridge collapse, Coast Guard says. Here's what we know

As the sun sets in Baltimore, six people are presumed dead after a major bridge collapsed overnight Tuesday, according to the Coast Guard. The Francis Scott Key Bridge came down around 1:30 a.m. ET after a cargo ship collided with it.

The Coast Guard said it has ended its active search-and-rescue operation for the missing construction workers who were on the bridge when it collapsed.

• What we know: Eight people were on the bridge when it fell, according to officials. At least two people were rescued — one was taken to the hospital and has been discharged . The Coast Guard has been searching for six other people. But, around 7:30 p.m. ET, the Coast Guard said it has transitioned to a “different phase” of operation, now it did “not believe we are going to find any of these individuals alive,” Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath said.
• About the ship: The bridge collapsed after a container vessel called Dali collided with one of its supports. The vessel is operated by Singapore-based Synergy Group but had been chartered to carry cargo by Danish shipping giant Maersk . The US Embassy in Singapore has been in contact with the country’s Maritime and Port Authority, a State Department spokesperson said.
• The investigation: The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the collapse. A team of 24 experts will dig into nautical operations, vessel operations, safety history records, owners, operators, company policy and any safety management systems or programs, said NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy. A voyage data recorder will be critical to the investigation, she added. 
• Vehicles on the bridge: Officials are also working to verify the numbers of how many cars and people were on the bridge, Homendy said. Gov. Wes Moore said the quick work of authorities in closing the bridge had saved lives . Radio traffic captured how authorities stopped traffic and worked to clear the bridge seconds before the impact . Maryland State Police Secretary Col. Roland L. Butler Jr. said there is a “ distinct possibility ” more vehicles were on the bridge, but authorities have not found any evidence to support that.
• Looking ahead: NTSB will look into how the bridge was built and investigate the structure itself, including if it was flagged for any safety deficiencies , Homendy said. The federal government has also directed its resources to help with search and rescue, to reopen the port and rebuild the bridge, Vice President Kamala Harris said . Earlier, President Joe Biden said t he federal government will pay to fix the bridge.
• The economy: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg warned the collapse will have a serious impact on supply chains . Until the channel is reopened, ships will likely already be changing course for other East Coast ports. Ocean carriers are already being diverted from the Port of Baltimore, where the bridge collapsed, to the Port of Virginia to “keep trade moving."

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