Photos released from on board the Dali ship as officials investigate Baltimore bridge collapse

Federal authorities have released images taken on board the Dali ship as crews work to remove the remnants and wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge from the Patapsco River.

The photos, taken and released on Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Board, show investigators working on board the vessel and deploying a drone to capture aerial footage of the area.

Authorities are aiming to clear the wreckage in order to recover the bodies of four construction workers and clear the waterway so the Port of Baltimore can resume operations.

A massive shipping vessel lost power and smashed into the bridge Tuesday morning, causing it to collapse in seconds and sending eight construction workers into the water. Two survived and officials said the others were presumed dead by Tuesday evening. On Wednesday, rescuers found the bodies of two men trapped in a red pickup around the bridge's middle span, Butler said.

The piles of wreckage in the water, as well as the 984-foot-long cargo ship, forced authorities to shut down the Port of Baltimore, which handles more cars and farm equipment than any other port in the nation. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, speaking about the facility where $80 billion in foreign cargo transited last year, called it "a global crisis."

Baltimore bridge collapse live updates:Officials shift to salvage operation; 4 still missing

Here's what it looks like on board the Dali.

See photos, video from on board the Dali

The Dali container ship underwent "routine engine maintenance" at the port before it set out on a weekslong journey to Sri Lanka, lost power and crashed into the bridge, U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said at a news conference Wednesday.

Contributing: Christopher Cann, USA TODAY

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at [email protected].