Families and City Mourn as Hunt for the Missing Continues

Mugadishu, Monday, August 06, 2007 Simba Radio

Some relatives of the missing were allowed to visit the bridge site during the weekend, watching the painstaking recovery operation as divers confronted whipsaw currents, submerged debris and water so black that visibility was limited to six inches.

No bodies had been recovered since Thursday.the missing people included somali youn woman and her little daughter.

The police have identified eight of the missing but say there could be more.

We have been actually sending squads to homes and knocking on doors,” said Capt. Mike Martin of the Minneapolis Police Department. “We have subpoenaed records for vehicle leases. We've used all our databases to check for information. We have requested dental records for family members. We're trying everything we can think of.”

Some victims' relatives were remarkably gracious.

Members of the city's large Somali community, whose epicenter is near the bridge, sent a letter to state and city leaders expressing sadness and offering help.