Divers entered the water just before 10 a.m. today to resume the recovery operation at the scene where the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River.
Earlier, authorities confirmed that the number of dead in the disaster had increased to five.
Firefighters pulled the fifth victim, the driver of a semitrailer truck that was engulfed in flames immediately after the collapse, from the wreckage late Thursday, Fire Department spokeswoman Kristi Rollwagen said. Video of the fire was among the most compelling images shown in the immediate aftermath of the collapse.
The medical examiner's office was working to confirm the man's identity, but Rollwagen said firefighters didn't want the man's family to see the truck "over and over" on TV knowing he was inside.
Fourteen people were still at Hennepin County Medical Center, where most of the victims were taken, with five of them still in critical condition, spokeswoman Kathy Roberts said.
The number of those missing in the disaster had dropped to eight.
First Lady Laura Bush arrived this morning to tour the scene and speak with family members of victims.
Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek, who held a briefing this morning on the east bankof the Mississippi River, said investigators have been able to account for all but eight of the missing from Wednesday's bridge collapse. Initially there were reports of as many as 30 missing, but Stanek said investigators in the last 36 hours have been able to track down relatives and account for most everyone.
Stanek made the announcement as he detailed plans for divers who were going to reenter the river sometime this morning in an attempt to recover more bodies and identify an estimated 60 or more vehicles still in the water. He said the number of vehicles could be more than 60, based on surveillance from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and sonar readings from divers.
Stanek said the NTSB has identified at least 60 vehicles still in the water. Divers have identified another nine possible search targets, which could turn out to be vehicles, north of the collapse site, near the lock and dam. The 15-17 divers from Anoka, Hennepin, Ramsey and Washington counties performing the recovery operation will be focusing on an area between the collapsed bridge and the lock and dam this morning. The divers have been hampered by poor visibility, strong river currents and a tremendous amount of debris from the bridge. Sixteen boats in the operations.
"Conditions on the river are even more treacherous today than yesterday," Stanek said.
Officials on Thursday identified the dead as Sherry Lou Engebretsen, 60, Shoreview; Julia Blackhawk, 32, Savage; Artemio Trinidad-Mena, 29, Minneapolis, and Patrick Holmes, 36, Mounds View.
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