(NEW YORK) — The same storm system that brought flooding and hail to Georgia and Florida — and heavy snow to the Upper Midwest — is moving east on Wednesday.
Hail the size of pingpong balls was reported from Florida’s Panhandle to southern Georgia Tuesday while 20 to 40 inches of snow fell from New Mexico to Minnesota.
After record warm winter for the Midwest, March is turning out to be the snowiest “winter” month. Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport has received more snow during the month of March, with 15.2 inches, than they did for the entire winter — December, January and February — with 11.1 inches.
The storm is now moving east and will bring a soaking rain from the Carolinas to Maine on Thursday.
Flood watches have already been issued from Florida to Virginia, where some areas could get up to 5 inches of rain.
In the Northeast, the heaviest rain will be from the Jersey Shore into Long Island and eastern New England, where some areas could see up to 3 inches.
The rain will continue for the Northeast into Thursday night.
(LONDON) — Artificial intelligence could eliminate up to nearly 8 million jobs in the United Kingdom, according to a new study, which cautions that women and early-career employees are most at risk of being put out of work.
Government policy, however, could allow the U.K. to avert job losses and harness AI for a breakneck economic surge, according to the left-leaning Institute for Public Policy Research, the think tank that authored the report.
“The world of knowledge work will be transformed by generative AI,” the report said, referring to a type of AI that can create content, such as text or images. “We need to start preparing for this now.”
Researchers analyzed 22,000 tasks carried out by workers across the U.K. economy, finding that 11% are currently exposed to the threat of displacement by AI, the study said. The jobs at greatest risk include entry-level, part-time and administrative roles — a set of positions disproportionately held by women, the study added.
The report describes a soon-to-begin phase of AI adoption during which some of these “low-hanging fruit” jobs will be replaced by the technology. The overall workforce impact over the period could be limited, the study said, but some roles will experience massive effects, such as the elimination of one-third of administrative jobs.
A second phase could bring much deeper integration of AI that will threaten up to 59% of tasks, the report said. If companies allow AI to access proprietary information and execute key tasks, the study said, the resulting disruption may slash a wider swathe of jobs, including a larger share of high-paying positions.
While offering up potential outcomes, the study acknowledged that a wide range of job-displacement scenarios remains possible, including the potential for job losses to be avoided entirely.
Experts who spoke to ABC News last year noted the absence of job losses during a surge of AI adoption over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While data on the scale of displacement remains limited, the experts said, anecdotes confirm that the technology eliminates some positions while creating others.
The increased sophistication and use of AI is expected to displace jobs over the coming years, the experts added. AI will enhance productivity and increase compensation for some jobs but it risks leaving out workers who fail to keep up, they said.
Artificial intelligence could displace roughly 15% of workers, or 400 million people, worldwide between 2016 and 2030, according to a McKinsey study released in 2018. In a scenario of wide AI adoption, the share of jobs displaced could rise to as much as 30%, the firm found.
The report out on Tuesday presented policy proposals that the authors believe could reduce the likelihood of job losses and heighten the possibility of an AI-induced economic boom.
A policy described by the report as “ringfencing,” for example, would mandate the continued use of human involvement for certain tasks, such as medical diagnoses. A combination of government incentives and public-private partnerships could help achieve the measure.
In its most optimistic potential scenario, the report outlines a future of AI adoption in which no jobs are lost and gross domestic product increases by 13%.
“There is no one predetermined path for how AI implementation will play out,” the report’s authors said.
(WASHINGTON) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to reschedule his delegation’s visit to the White House after he canceled the trip on Monday, a U.S. official told ABC News on Wednesday.
“The prime minister’s office has agreed to reschedule the meeting dedicated to Rafah. We are now working to find a convenient date,” the official told ABC News.
Israel pulled its delegation earlier this week after the U.S. allowed, through abstention, for the U.N. Security Council to adopt a resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza for the remaining days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan — and potentially longer.
The resolution called for the unconditional release of hostages being held by Hamas terrorists, though it did not explicitly tie that with a temporary cease-fire. The resolution further urged that the humanitarian pause should then lead “to a lasting sustainable ceasefire.”
The White House said on Monday that it was “disappointed” and “kind of perplexed” that Israel canceled the delegation’s planned visit to the U.S.
The decision to reschedule came after several members of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet held “constructive discussions” with Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant this week in Washington, D.C., the official said.
The official said that Rafah, a city in the south of Gaza bordering Egypt, was “one of the many topics discussed” during meetings with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and CIA Director Bill Burns.
Netanyahu said that a victory against Hamas is “impossible” without the Israel Defense Forces entering Rafah to eliminate the rest of the terrorist group’s battalions.
Hamas waged an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, which has led to months of conflict.
In the Gaza Strip, more than 31,000 people have been killed by Israeli forces since Oct. 7, according to Gaza’s Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health. In Israel, at least 1,200 people have been killed by Hamas and other Palestinian militants since Oct. 7, according to Israeli officials.
The White House has said Biden has “deep concerns” Israel will not do enough to prevent civilian casualties as it goes after Hamas fighters in Rafah.
The Israeli military said that it plans to direct many of the displaced Palestinians living in Rafah toward “humanitarian islands” in the center of the territory ahead of any invasion.
ABC News’ Sarah Beth Hensley contributed to this report.
Aedes aegypti mosquito, a known trasmitter of dengue. Photo via CDC
(NEW YORK) — Puerto Rico has declared a public health emergency as the number of dengue fever cases continues to rise.
So far this year, there have been 549 cases reported with the plurality occurring in San Juan, according to the island’s health department. There has been a 140% increase this year in cases from Jan. 1 to March 21, compared to the same period last year, the department said.
“This year, dengue cases have exceeded historical figures,” Dr. Carlos Mellado López, the secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Health, said in a statement. “The teams have been working on the integrated plan for prevention and control in response to arbovirus and we are going to expand the implemented response. It is important to note that the increase in cases has not only been reflected in Puerto Rico, but we have seen it throughout the region of the Americas.”
The public health emergency order will remain in place for 90 days.
The department says its response will include early detection, epidemiological surveillance and providing educational material on dengue. Dr. Melissa Marzán, an epidemiologist with the health department, also emphasized the importance of collaboration with municipalities.
“Municipal leaders have played a crucial role alongside the Department of Health, recognizing the impact that dengue has on population,” Marzán said. “We are deeply grateful for your support and we urge you to empower your communities so that they can carry out cleaning efforts around the home and thus eliminate mosquito breeding grounds.”
Dengue viruses are spread through bites from infected Aedes species mosquitoes, mostly found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These mosquitoes are also responsible for spreading Zika and chikungunya viruses.
Dengue can be caused by dengue virus 1, 2, 3 or 4, the health agency said. A person can be infected multiple times over the course of their life.
About one in four people develop symptoms lasting two to seven days, but symptoms are usually mild and include fever, rash, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, joint pain and bone pain.
Because symptoms are not specific to dengue, they’re often confused with other illnesses, according to the CDC.
There are no specific medicines to treat dengue aside from supportive care, which includes rest, drinking fluids and taking acetaminophen. The CDC warns not to take aspirin or ibuprofen, because it can trigger gastritis or bleeding.
However, about one in 20 will develop severe dengue, which can lead to shock (damage to the body’s organs), internal bleeding and even death, although deaths are rare, the CDC said.
A dengue vaccine is approved for children between ages 9 and 16 who have a laboratory-confirmed previous dengue virus infection and who live in areas where dengue is endemic, according to the CDC. It is available in Puerto Rico and is part of the territory’s routine childhood immunization schedule, the CDC said.
(NEW YORK) — A total solar eclipse set to deliver a stunning display in the sky on April 8 could be trouble for some air travelers and pilots due to possible flight delays, the Federal Aviation Administration warned.
The eclipse — which will pass over Mexico, the United States and Canada — is expected to impact air traffic and airports along the eclipse’s path from April 7 until April 10, the FAA said in a notice about special air traffic procedures. This could mean delays for air travelers, too — especially as the eclipse overlaps with spring break travel, the agency said Wednesday.
The FAA estimated that any air travel impacts from the eclipse would be felt from April 7 at 6 a.m. until April 10 at midnight.
“While most travelers are heading to their favorite vacation destinations, a significant number of travelers are heading to various states to witness ‘The Great North American Eclipse’ on Monday, April 8,” the FAA said in a news release.
“Travelers flying along the eclipse path may encounter limited parking and potential delays at airports due to the high volume of aircraft and drones attempting to witness the total solar eclipse,” the FAA said.
A total solar eclipse — which happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the sun — is a draw for many people since it can be rare. The last total solar eclipse that was visible in the U.S. took place in 2017, according to NASA.
Many travelers are planning to fly to the states where the eclipse is expected to be most visible: from Texas to New England, the FAA said. Airports in these states will be most affected, the agency said.
“Some are even planning their flights to be airborne during the actual eclipse,” the FAA’s Kevin Morris said.
Air travel to see the eclipse intersects with spring break travel, which the FAA predicted will make next week “the busiest of the season.”
The busiest travel days are expected to be March 28, April 4 and April 5, with more than 50,000 flights expected on several of those days, the FAA said.
The FAA is working to make sure pilots are prepared for the eclipse, too, and are offering guidance to commercial and private pilots that includes anticipating larger-than-normal numbers of aircraft and drones in the area, potential delays and limited parking at some airports.
“And remember, never look directly at the sun,” Morris added.
It’s not safe to look directly at the sun during an eclipse without specialized eye protection for solar viewing, NASA says.
Delays and cancellations are low but can happen, the FAA said, reminding travelers to check the status of their flights and get important travel tips on the FAA website before heading to the airport.
(NEW YORK) — Global households are discarding an exorbitant amount of food every year, despite food insecurity remaining one of the top concerns in several regions around the world, according to a new report by the United Nationals Environment Programme.
Households across all continents wasted more than 1 billion meals per day in 2022, according to the UNEP’s Food Waste Index Report, released Wednesday. The annual cost of the food wasted is estimated to be worth more than $1 trillion and weigh in at 1.05 billion tonnes, according to the report.
Nearly one-fifth (19%) of the food available to consumers at the retail, food service and household level was wasted, according to the report.
Most of the world’s food waste comes from households, accounting for approximately 60% (631 million tonnes) of the total food waste in 2022. Food service and retail sectors accounted for around 28% and 12% respectively, the authors estimated.
An individual wastes, on average, approximately 79 kilograms — or about 174 pounds — of food annually, the report found.
The UNEP estimates that approximately 8% to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions are due to food waste and loss — almost five times the total emissions from the aviation sector, according to the report.
There is more food waste per capita in households that are located in typically hotter countries around the world, the report states. Factors such as extreme heat events and overall higher seasonal temperatures make it more challenging to store, process, transport, and sell food safely, often leading to a significant volume of food being wasted.
The report also highlights that there are food waste disparities between rural and urban populations. In middle-income countries, rural populations are generally wasting less compared to more urban areas.
The report recommends focusing efforts to strengthen circularity in cities and enhance food waste reduction programs.
Only four G20 countries — Australia, Japan, the U.K. the U.S. — and the European Union have food waste estimates suitable for tracking progress to 2030, according to the report.
An additional two G20 countries — Canada and Saudi Arabia — have suitable household estimates with Brazil’s estimate expected later this year. This is related to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 to “end poverty, reduce inequality and build more peaceful, prosperous societies by 2030.”
Some countries, such as the U.K. and Japan, show that change on a national scale is possible. In Japan, total food waste has been reduced by 31% since 2008.
In the U.S., food is the single most common material sent to landfills, encompassing more than 24% of municipal solid waste, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Organic materials, including food waste, are responsible for 58% of fugitive methane emissions from municipal solid waste landfills, the EPA estimates.
Fugitive methane emissions include all of the methane that is released into the atmosphere from various sources. Like carbon dioxide, methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming and is actually much more potent and effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere compared to carbon dioxide.
Methane is over 28 times more effective than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere, according to the EPA. While methane only accounts for about 16% of global greenhouse gas emissions, it is responsible for around 30% of the rise in global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution, according to the International Energy Agency.
The concentration of greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere reached record levels in 2022 and there is no end in sight to the rising trend, according to a 2023 report by the World Meteorological Organization.
Reducing methane emissions is seen as especially important because it is one of the most effective short-term ways to limit global warming. Unlike carbon dioxide, methane gas has a short lifespan in the atmosphere, decomposing in about a decade, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
A growing number of governments are embracing public-private partnerships to reduce food waste and its impacts on climate and the environment, according to the report, which suggests that governments, cities, municipalities and food businesses of all sizes should work together to reduce food waste and encourage households to take action.
But very few countries have collected robust food waste data, according to the UNEP, which calls on them to use the Food Waste Index to measure food waste in a consistent manner, track progress and develop national baselines. This enhanced data would help better understand the scale of the problem, target hotspots, and investigate the efficacy of possible interventions, according to the report.
“Food waste is a global tragedy. Millions will go hungry today as food is wasted across the world,” said Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP. “Not only is this a major development issue, but the impacts of such unnecessary waste are causing substantial costs to the climate and nature. The good news is we know if countries prioritize this issue, they can significantly reverse food loss and waste, reduce climate impacts and economic losses, and accelerate progress on global goals.”
First published in 2021, this year’s Food Waste Index Report, co-authored with WRAP, a climate action nonprofit, provides the most accurate global estimate on food waste at retail and consumer levels. The report also provides guidance for countries on improving data collection and suggests best practices in moving from measuring to reducing food waste.
The 2024 report builds on recent and greater datasets and provides an update on the scale of food wasted worldwide.
(NEW YORK) — Krispy Kreme and McDonald’s are expanding their partnership to put three doughnut flavors on menus at the Golden Arches across the U.S.
Following a successful local test at 160 McDonald’s restaurants around Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky, the companies announced Tuesday that a phased market rollout will kick off later this year, with nationwide availability expected by the end of 2026.
The melt-in-your-mouth yeast doughnuts will be delivered fresh daily and available individually, or in boxes of six, starting at breakfast and lasting throughout the day, while supplies last.
Three of Krispy Kreme’s most popular doughnuts will be on the McDonald’s menu: the iconic Original Glazed Doughnut, the Chocolate Iced with Sprinkles Doughnut, and the Chocolate Iced Kreme Filled Doughnut.
“Since the launch of breakfast nearly 50 years ago, we’ve continued to offer new menu items, flavors and experiences that have made McDonald’s an irreplaceable part of fans’ morning routines,” McDonald’s USA CMO Tariq Hassan said in a statement. He added that this partnership is also “a chance to unlock new business opportunities in the breakfast category and throughout the day.”
Krispy Kreme President and CEO Josh Charlesworth echoed the excitement, adding that this partnership allows expanded reach for doughnut lovers.
“The top request we receive from consumers, every day, is, ‘Please bring Krispy Kreme to my town.’ Partnering with McDonald’s on a national scale will provide our fans and doughnut lovers unprecedented daily access to fresh doughnuts and the joy that is Krispy Kreme,” he said.
“Significantly, by making Kreme Krispy accessible to fans nationwide through this partnership, we expect to more than double our points of access by the end of 2026,” Charlesworth continued. “The partnership accelerates the development of our existing Delivered Fresh Daily channel, creating operating leverage through distribution density and production utilization.”
The companies plan to provide more details on the nationwide rollout in the coming months.
(BALTIMORE) — Just hours before the Tuesday morning commute was to get underway, the crew of a massive cargo ship leaving Baltimore harbor lost propulsion and control of the vessel, causing it to crash into a support column of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, triggering a catastrophic collapse of the 1.6-mile long span and sending vehicles and people into the water, officials said.
The transportation disaster unfolded about 1:35 a.m., prompting a major emergency response from Baltimore police, firefighters and the U.S. Coast Guard as authorities estimated that up to 20 vehicles went into the water along with several workers who were part of a maintenance team fixing potholes on the span, officials said.
“I can tell you, our sonar has detected the presence of vehicles submerged in the water,” Baltimore City Fire Chief James Wallace said at a news conference early Tuesday.
Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said the depth of the water in the area where the crash occurred is about 50 feet.
Search and rescue efforts suspended
The Coast Guard said it would be suspending search and rescue efforts Tuesday evening and begin recovery efforts Wednesday at 6 a.m.
“Based on the length of time that we’ve gone in the search, the extensive search efforts that we put into it, the water temperature — at this point, we do not believe that we’re going to find any of these individuals still alive,” Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath told reporters.
“We’re hoping to put divers in the water and begin a more detailed search to do our very best to recover those six missing people,” Col. Roland Butler with the Maryland State Police said.
‘We’re with you,’ Biden tells Baltimore residents
During a press conference Tuesday afternoon from the White House, President Joe Biden said he had authorized federal resources to be used in the search and rescue operation.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the brave rescuers who immediately rushed to the scene. And to the people of Baltimore, we want to say, we’re with you, we’re going to stay with you for as long as it takes,” said Biden.
The president echoed local, state and federal officials who said investigators have found no evidence linking the incident to terrorism. Biden called it a “terrible incident and accident.”
Biden pledged that the federal government would pay to replace the bridge, which was built in the 1970s at the cost of $110 million, the equivalent of $500 million in 2024 accounting for inflation.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said at a news conference Tuesday morning that rescue crews are doing all they can to save lives.
“To the victims of this tragedy and their loved ones, all our hearts are broken,” Moore said. “In the face of heartbreak, we come together, we embrace each other.”
The FBI, which arrived at the scene an hour after the incident, confirmed that no link to terrorism was involved, according to Bill DelBagno, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Baltimore field office.
Power issues reported before crash
Emergency officials said eight people were initially unaccounted for and two were rescued. At least six people were still missing. The University of Maryland Medical Center said it treated one patient rescued from the bridge collapse and that person had been discharged from the hospital. The other person rescued was not injured, authorities said.
Two construction workers were on the bridge at the time, officials said. One ran from the bridge and the other fell into the water and swam ashore, according to the latest internal Department of Homeland Security briefing obtained by ABC News.
According to a Coast Guard memo obtained by ABC News, a harbor pilot and an assistant aboard the cargo ship reported the power issues that prompted multiple alarms on the bridge of the vessel and loss of propulsion. The pilots were operating the ship, not the ship’s captain, according to Wiedefeld.
Biden said local authorities were alerted of the pending disaster and closed the bridge to traffic before the crash, “which undoubtedly saved lives.”
Officials said the container ship was moving at a speed of 8 knots, or about 9 mph, when it struck the bridge. They said the disaster could have been much worse had authorities not stopped cars from going onto the bridge.
Moore described the crash as “unprecedented.”
“To hear the words that the Key Bridge has collapsed, it’s shocking and heartbreaking,” Moore said.
All workers on the container ship were accounted for, according to the Coast Guard memo.
Moore said there were no structural issues with the bridge, saying it was “fully up to code.”
It remains unclear what caused the loaded 984-foot container ship, Dali, a Singapore-flagged vessel, to crash into the bridge about a half hour after it began its intended journey out of the second-largest seaport in the Mid-Atlantic via the Patapsco River, under the four-lane Francis Scott Key Bridge, named after the amateur poet who wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner” in 1814.
The National Transportation Safety Board was sending a team to Baltimore to investigate the crash.
The White House said that after learning of the incident, Biden convened senior members of his team for a briefing on the bridge collapse. During the briefing, the president directed his team to ensure all federal resources be made available to assist in the ongoing search and rescue efforts, White House officials said.
Previous deficiencies found on cargo ship
Danish shipping company Maersk chartered the Dali cargo ship, a spokesperson for the company told ABC News in a statement.
“We are horrified by what has happened in Baltimore, and our thoughts are with all of those affected. We can confirm that the container vessel ‘DALI’, operated by charter vessel company Synergy Group, is time chartered by Maersk and is carrying Maersk customers’ cargo. No Maersk crew and personnel were onboard the vessel. We are closely following the investigations conducted by authorities and Synergy, and we will do our utmost to keep our customers informed,” the Maersk spokesperson said.
The Dali cargo ship had two deficiencies since it was built in 2015, according to records from the Electronic Quality Shipping Information System (Equasis).
The most recent deficiency was given on June 27, 2023, during an inspection in the port of San Antonio, Chile. The deficiency was for “propulsion and auxiliary machinery” concerning gauges and thermometers, according to Equasis. The other deficiency was given in 2016 for “structural conditions” concerning a damaged hull “impairing seaworthiness.”
The records show that the last inspection of the container ship was on Sept. 13, 2023, in New York.
Dramatic security video captured the vessel striking one of the main support columns holding up the center cantilevered section of the bridge, causing the span to break apart in several sections and sending twisted metal into the water onto the bow of the Dali as black smoke began to pour from the vessel.
Multiple vehicles plunged from the bridge at the time of the collapse, the Baltimore City Fire Department said.
Just minutes before the crash, the video showed traffic flowing on the bridge, but the traffic almost disappeared before impact.
After reviewing traffic cameras, Maryland transportation officials confirmed “no vehicles [were] transiting the bridge at the time of the incident,” according to the latest internal Department of Homeland Security briefing obtained by ABC News.
The pilot who was at the controls of the ship “is currently undergoing post-accident Drug and Alcohol Testing,” the briefing said.
The Dali “remains impaled in the bridge,” the document said, adding that several shipping containers with undisclosed cargo fell into the water. There is hull damage above the water line of the vessel, but the ship is maintaining watertight integrity,” according to the document.
Had the crash occurred a few hours later at the height of the morning commute the bridge would have likely been packed with commuters. The bridge is part of the heavily traveled Interstate 695 linking Baltimore to Washington, D.C. An estimated 11.5 million vehicles cross the bridge annually, or about 30,000 per day, according to the Maryland Department of Transportation.
The bridge, which opened on March 23, 1977, had just celebrated its 47th anniversary.
The crash shut down the seaport, which serves more than 50 ocean carrier companies whose vessels make about 1,800 annual visits to the port annually, according to state officials.
ABC News’ Victoria Arancio, Alex Grainger, Sam Sweeney and Felicia Alvarez contributed to this story.
(NEW YORK) — A single ticket sold in New Jersey had all of the winning numbers in Tuesday evening’s drawing for the Mega Millions $1.3 billion jackpot.
The winning numbers were 7, 11, 22, 29, 38 and gold Mega Ball 4.
Thirteen tickets from across nine of the Mega millions-eligible states matched five numbers to each win $1 million. One of those tickets was a multiplier, bumping the prize up to $2 million.
This is the sixth time the Mega Millions jackpot prize has surpassed $1 billion. Tuesday’s jackpot win is the fifth-largest prize in the history of the game.
There were 30 consecutive drawings without a jackpot winner before Tuesday. The last jackpot was won on Dec. 8.
The jackpot prize has a cash value of $537.5 million, which can be offered as a one-time lump sum payment or an immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments.
The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, according to Mega Millions.
Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets are $2 for one play.
The largest Mega Millions jackpot prize ever won was a $1.6 billion prize won on Aug. 8, 2023.
(BALTIMORE) — Six construction workers are presumed dead after a cargo ship struck Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, sending the workers into the water.
Eight workers were fixing potholes on the span when the ship hit the bridge around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday. The workers plunged into the frigid water, and two were rescued, officials said.
Search and rescue efforts for the six missing people were suspended Tuesday evening, officials said. Operations are now shifting to a recovery phase, officials said.
“Based on the length of time that we’ve gone in the search, the extensive search efforts that we put into it, the water temperature — at this point, we do not believe that we’re going to find any of these individuals still alive,” Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath told reporters Tuesday evening.
Among the six missing is construction worker Miguel Luna, who is originally from El Salvador, according to Court Appointed Special Advocates, a group that works with immigrants.
Luna “is a husband, a father of three, and has called Maryland his home for over 19 years,” the organization said in a press release.
He “left at 6:30 p.m. Monday evening for work and since, has not come home,” the organization said.
Two missing workers are from Guatemala: a 26-year-old from San Luis, Petén, and a 35-year-old from Camotán, Chiquimula, the country’s foreign ministry said. Their names were not released.
“The Consul General of Guatemala in Maryland was able to establish telephone communication with the brothers of the two missing Guatemalans,” the ministry said in a statement posted in Spanish.
