Authorities scrambled to clear Key Bridge in seconds before impact, audio shows

The search for six missing men who fell from the Patapsco River after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed around 1am on Tuesday morning has been called off, after officials said it was unlikely they would be found alive. At a press conference on Tuesday, an official said the presumption had been made due to the extensive but unsuccessful search efforts, and the temperature of the water. The collapse occurred after a ship collided with the bridge in Baltimore, Maryland. Two people were rescued from the water, with one in critical condition and the other rejecting medical attention. Officials said eight men were originally unaccounted for. Watch more on Independent TV: Click here to subscribe to The Independent: About The Independent: Making Change Happen. The Independent is the world’s most free-thinking newsbrand, providing global news, commentary and analysis for the independently-m