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CNN Live Today

Recovery Continues Today in Bridge Collapse

Aired May 27, 2002 - 13:22   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: We've got more now on the Oklahoma bridge accident. Divers there continue to search for victims among the swift currents of the Arkansas River, and a fourth body was recovered today. That work is going on near Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, where a portion of Interstate 40 collapsed into the river, taking with it a dozen or so vehicles. Miraculously, five people survived the 60-foot plunge.

CNN's David Mattingly joins us live from the scene.

Dave, I know you've got stories of survival, but also, what is the latest right now on the rescue or the recovery operations?

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well the recovery operation is continuing this afternoon. And the story that is developing here, Carol, as you said, is one of both terrible tragedy and incredible survival. Divers are working hard this afternoon to remove all of the submerged cars that plunged into the Arkansas River yesterday morning. So far, four bodies have been recovered. More are expected as the badly damaged cars are pulled from the river one by one.

It is, however, important to remember there are five survivors in this. Five people who drove on to the bridge as it collapsed and fell 100 feet into the water. One of them, truck driver Rodney Tidwell (ph).

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RODNEY TIDWELL, SURVIVOR: I was driving the semi coming across 40 going west. And the first thing I let you know, I had my seat belt on for the first time yesterday. And the last thing I remember was going off the bridge. Everything else is a -- is a blur. I -- just bits and pieces is coming back to me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTINGLY: Well he doesn't remember much, but just the fact that he is out of the hospital, alive and talking to reporters today, Carol, is definitely a story in itself.

LIN: Dave, do they know any more about how this happened and whether the bridge itself should have been able to withstand the force from that barge?

MATTINGLY: Those answers are probably a long way off. The NTSB is scrutinizing every aspect of this. They're looking at the barge, the captain on the barge. They're looking at the bridge itself. Should the bridge have been able to withstand that collision? Those answers -- those questions are being asked and those answers, we assume, will be coming sometime in the future.

LIN: All right, thank you very much.

David Mattingly reporting live there from Webbers Falls.

Now in less than two hours, authorities will have an update on that Oklahoma bridge collapse and CNN will carry that news conference live beginning here at 3:00 p.m. eastern.

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