tonight, the new images in our new reporting on the final moments before that deadly bridge collapse in baltimore. our first up-close images of the cargo ship under the wreckage of the francis scott key bridge. two construction workers found dead, four others missing and presumed dead. new dash cam video of them on the bridge hours before the collision, and the wife of one survivor revealing now what they were doing when the ship hit. plus, the emotional tributes at the orioles opening day.

also tonight, the suspect in a stabbing rampage that killed four people in illinois in court. among the victims, a 15-year-old girl and a mailman. what the suspect says set him off. former crypto mogul sam bankman-fried sentenced to 25 years for massive fraud. his apology in court before learning his fate. on the east coast, the soaking rain and flood risk. the race for 2024. president biden sharing the stage tonight with barack obama and bill clinton at a star-studded fundraiser. just miles away, former president trump at the wake for a slain nypd officer as he campaigns on the issue of crime. the mission protect the giants of the sea. inside the new whale traffic control. and as small-town papers disappear, harry smith takes us to maine, where local news is getting a lifeline. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt.

>> good evening and welcome. tonight we are getting our closest look yet at the precarious remains of baltimore's francis scott key bridge and the out-of-control container ship that toppled it. our team out with the army corps of engineers today as they prepare for the formidable challenge of clearing the blocked channel. tonight special equipment is on the way the begin the work, while the search for the bodies of four missing workers continued. the wife of a surviving worker telling nbc news "my husband doesn't know how to swim. it is a miracle he survived." authorities also revealing they have begun interviews with the captain and crew of the container ship. the ntsb saying its final report detailing a probable cause of the accident may be two years away. and in baltimore, a city still in shock. oriole fans took part in a moment of silence at the team's home opener. tom costello has developments. >> reporter: out on the water with the

army corps of engineers and the first up-close look at the massive "dali" container ship, and the wreckage of baltimore's francis scott key bridge laying on top of it, the "dali's" bow crushed, a massive piece of steel. >> that weighs between 3,000 and 4,000 tons. we have one of the largest cranes on the eastern seaboard that picks up one thousand tons at a time. >> reporter: the water so muddy and dark, divers and drones have struggled to get a clear view. submerged under the wreckage, the remains of four bridge repair workers still missing. this dash cam video shows them on the bridge a few hours before the disaster. the wife of julio cervantes, who survived tells nbc news the workers were on a break in their cars when the bridge suddenly collapsed. amazingly, cervantes survived even though he doesn't swim. the army corps of engineers will have a lead role in reopening and clearing the ninth biggest port.

here's the channel. they need to clear a 700-foot-stretch right here to allow ships to get in and out. but it's not just above water, of course, it's below water, and all of that twisted bridge, that metal. underwater, it is razor-sharp posing a potentially lethal threat to ships and the divers working under water. >> this work is very unforgiving, and the planning has to be done in extreme detail. that's the work being done today. >> reporter: potentially very dangerous? >> incredibly dangerous. >> reporter: again today a team of ntsb investigators on the ship, interviewing the ship's pilots, captain and crewmembers. the ship's black box shows alarms going off indicating a loss of power. the ship's pilot made an urgent call for tugboats and to drop anchor. >> it's raining. it's slippery. of course we have the hazardous materials. we have containers that are open. we certainly have structural damage everywhere. >> reporter: with massive cranes and

barges arriving as soon as tonight, experts believe it could take a month to clear the wreckage. >> when the green button is pushed and go is given by the incident command for those cranes to start picking it out of the water, it will go faster than most people can expect. >> reporter: but the size and scale of the job unprecedented. >> we certainly understand the demand to get this port functioning and open again. we're going do that, but we're going to do it safely. >> tom, you're getting a better idea just how involved this cleanup operation is going to be? >> yeah, that's right. the army corps tells me that a fully loaded ship like the "dali," it is going to be just within 12 to 18 inches on the river bottom, and that the depth is 50 feet. so they need to clear everything off the bottom all the way down to the sand because otherwise, any debris could pose a lethal risk to future ships moving through there. lester? >> a tough and dangerous work. tom, thank you. today even

president biden acknowledged what he called a brutal stabbing attack in rockford, illinois that killed four people and wounded seven others. prosecutors say the suspect blamed drug use for the sudden attack. here is maggie vespa. >> reporter: tonight, as rockford struggles to understand the carnage, the accused attacker in wednesday's deadly stabbing spree 22-year-old christian soto in court facing 13 charges from first-degree murder to home invasion to police say a ram the age spanning five crime scenes across this northern illinois community. they say soto attacked 11 people total, killing 4, including a mother and son, a mailman on his route, and a 15-year-old girl, jenna newcomb. >> jenna died saving her sister and her friend. >> reporter: prosecutors today saying the spree started when soto visited a friend in the first house who he said gave him laced marijuana.

>> soto said he became paranoid after the drug usage. he said he retrieved a knife from the kitchen and proceeded to stab jacob and ramona to death. >> reporter: from there driving his truck on to lawns, breaking into one home where three teenaged girls were watching a movie, grabbing a bat. >> he started swinging the bat, striking all the female victims. >> reporter: darlene webber says soto came in their back door, attacking her and her children. >> he looked at me. he had the world's biggest smile on his face. >> he was smiling? >> he looked like the devil incarnate. >> reporter: they say the family dog brandy bit soto on the leg as webber's son fought him off. >> and i grabbed a syrup bottle and started beating him with it. >> i'm not even kidding. if it wasn't for him, i don't think i would be standing talking to you now. i really don't. it was frightening. >> reporter: tonight a woman who identified herself as soto's mother telling nbc news he is a loving person and he has never hurt anybody before. we never felt threatened by him. we can't believe that is my son. maggie vespa, nbc news, rockford, illinois.

here in new york, the sentence was 25 years in prison today for sam bankman-fried, the one-time crypto king whose ftx exchange lapsed. cnbc's kate rooney has details. >> reporter: convicted of seven criminal counts of fraud and conspiracy last november, today sam bankman-fried learned his fate. sentenced to 25 years in federal prison. just a couple of years ago, bankman-fried was a young billionaire, living in the bahamas, running crypto exchange ftx, exerting influence in washington and courting celebrity endorsements. then it all came crashing down. >> it does appear that they are filing chapter 11. >> reporter: ftx and its sister hedge fund collapsed, customers left unable to access their funds. bankman-fried long maintained he had not done anything wrong. >> i didn't ever try to commit fraud on anyone. >> reporter: but today in court, bankman-fried was contrite, telling the judge he made selfish decisions, adding, "it haunts me every day.

i was the ceo of ftx." he said, "i was responsible." the judge admonishing bankman-fried, saying, "there is a risk that this man will be in position to do something very bad in the future." and adding in his 30 years, he's never seen a performance like bankman-fried's trial testimony, saying, "when he wasn't outright lying, he was evasive." >> how you feeling today? >> no comment. >> reporter: bankman-fried's parents solemn outside the courthouse, saying in a statement they are heartbroken and will continue to fight for our son. bankman-fried's lawyers say they plan to appeal. >> it was really, really difficult. i mean, i couldn't eat, sleep. >> reporter: this man lost two million when ftx imploded. today he says he is still waiting to get that money back. >> i think that it goes some closure, but i don't think it fully reflects the financial and emotional toll on customers. >> kate, when ftx lapsed, there were real questions about crypto's future. how is it faring now?

>> at the time, lester, sam bankman-fried's fraud was seen as irreparable damage, but a year and a half, after this ftx drama unfolded, bitcoin and other cryptocurrenies are back at all-time highs. lester? >> kate rooney, thank you. dash cam from a deadly school bus crash in texas. the footage shows the moment a cement truck crosses the center line and hitting the bus, sending it rolling over last friday. more than 40 pre-k students were on board. one was killed, along with a driver in a car behind the bus. no charges have been filed. tonight, much of the east coast continues to see a steady and soaking rain in an area extending from the carolinas to maine. 12 million people remain under flood watches through early tomorrow. rainfall will range from 1 to 3 inches. now to the race for the white house, with president biden attending a star-studded fundraiser in manhattan with two of his predecessors. here is gabe gutierrez.

>> reporter: tonight, president biden arriving in new york, side by side with his former running mate under heavy security, the biden campaign hosting a star-studded fundraiser, a hall of presidents at radio city music hall. biden, obama and clinton, with celebrities including lizzo and queen latifah. the campaign says the event will rake in at least $25 million as democrats set the stage for the general election. >> i've never been more optimistic about our future. i know i'm only 40 years old. times two plus one. >> reporter: but a new poll shows former president trump performing well in a head to head matchup. and at just 38% of americans approve of president biden's handling of the economy. just 30% on immigration. >> we're here! >> reporter: today the president's visit to manhattan sparked protests over the war in gaza. he's upset former president obama, like many democrats are worried president biden could lose. last summer, during a private lunch at the white house, nbc news

reported the two men discussed what was at stake in 2024. former president obama now taking an increasingly active role in the campaign as democrats tonight show a united front against former president trump. >> as you know, joe is an extraordinary friend and partner. he was by my side for eight years. >> reporter: mr. trump just a few miles away today, attending the wake of nypd officer jonathan diller, who was shot and killed this week during a traffic stop. new york city's mayor says the suspect had more than 20 priors arrests. the former president today meeting with officer diller's wife and their 1-year-old son. >> we have to stop it. well have to get back to law and order. we have to do a lot of things differently, because this is not working. this is happening too often. >> gabe, let's turn back to that biden fundraiser. it comes as democrats are doing really well in raising money. >> yeah, that's right, lester. over the past several weeks, democrats have far outpaced republicans when it comes to fundraising. but these pro-palestinian

protesters you can hear in the background, they continue to make their voice heard at this event. this is something the biden campaign having to deal with. lester? >> all right, gabe, thank you. in just 60 seconds, fun without the sun. why the coming eclipse is making cities like cleveland and buffalo spring break hot spots. the disappearing act, next. rsv can severely affect the lungs and lower airways. but i'm protected with arexvy. arexvy is a vaccine used to prevent lower respiratory disease from rsv in people 60 years and older. rsv can be serious for those over 60, including those with asthma, diabetes, copd, and certain other conditions. but i'm protected. arexvy is proven to be over 82% effective in preventing lower respiratory disease from rsv and over 94% effective in those with these health conditions. arexvy does not protect everyone and is not for those with severe allergic reactions

to its ingredients. those with weakened immune systems may have a lower response to the vaccine. the most common side effects are injection site pain, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, and joint pain. i chose arexvy. rsv? make it arexvy. the faa says spring break travel will soon hit its peak as the upcoming solar eclipse fuels a tourism boom in some unlikely places. here is jesse kirsch. >> reporter: it's that time of year, and airports are packed. >> flying during the spring break season when it's not for spring break -- >> it's awful. completely awful. >> reporter: even though spring break is in full swing, the season's busiest time to fly is still days away. >> we'll take it and roll with it. >> reporter: the faa expects air travel to peak next thursday and friday, with almost 100,000 flights combined. some americans hoping

to catch a glimpse of april 8th total solar eclipse. heading to destinations likes dallas, indianapolis, cleveland, and buffalo. airfare and hotel rates are soaring in cities along the pass. >> it's like super bowl prices. >> reporter: week over week, hotels are up about 550% in cities like jackson, missouri, where it will cost on average more than $600 a night. in erie, pennsylvania, it's almost eight $800. this map from airbnb shows bookings this weekend. >> they're not just here spending on hotels, but they're going to take in the rock 'n roll, a lot of great things going on in the community, bars, restaurants and others. >> reporter: but as communities brace for the influx, some are recommending people stock up on water, food, and fuel. and the faa warns airports in the path of totality could see unusually high traffic, plus delays, adding flights could be rerouted as well. cleveland's airport is staffing up. >> we have more people on hand on the front of the house to make sure that lines are moving.

>> reporter: this spring break, instead of racing to the sun, many americans are hoping to see it fade away. jesse kirsch, nbc news, cleveland. up next, as we continue, a new program this helps ships keep their distance from the gentle giants of the sea. could it help save endangered whales a continent away? i'seve struggh generalized myasthenia gravis. but the picture started changing when i started on vyvgart. ♪♪ vyvgart is for adults with generalized myasthenia gravis who are anti-achr antibody positive. ♪♪ in a clinical trial, vyvgart significantly improved most participants' ability to do daily activities when added to their current gmg treatment. most participants taking vyvgart also had less muscle weakness. and your vyvgart treatment schedule is designed just for you. in a clinical study, the most common side effects included urinary and respiratory tract infections, and headache. vyvgart may increase the risk of infection. tell your doctor if you have a history of infections

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pneumonia, and osteoporosis. call your doctor if worsened breathing, chest pain, mouth or tongue swelling, problems urinating, vision changes, or eye pain occur. can't afford your medication? astrazeneca may be able to help. ask your doctor about breztri. back now with our series climate challenge. for years our friend anne thompson has reported on the risk

whales face in the waters they share with cargo ships and fishing lines. tonight she tells us about a new approach to protect these giants of the sea. >> reporter: it happens quickly. >> oh! >> reporter: a spout, a dorsal fin, as killer whales, some endangered surface in this sea off seattle. weighing up to 11 tons, they can be hard to spot. >> oh, my gosh! >> reporter: boats are supposed to stay 400 miles away. yards away. in the miles of channels and straits across the u.s.-canada border, including puget sound. this is very much a working waterway. last year, some 300,000 commercial vessels traversed these waters, waters where 23 different species of whales, porpoises and dolphins swim. sightings of those species now tracked in a new program tracked by the u.s. coast

guard. and this is the nerve center? >> this is it. >> reporter: lieutenant commander margaret woodbridge gives us a rare look inside the citation desk. is it like an air traffic control center? >> in some ways, yes. >> reporter: instead of radar -- >> looks like we have another killer whale report here. >> reporter: the coast guard relies on sightings. >> looks like one, two, three, four, five. >> we're hoping to really tap into all those eyes on the water and get that information into this database and alert system. so that we can let that larger shipping traffic know when there are whales nearby. >> reporter: it's all done on apps. apps even the coast guard uses on the cutter "adelie." >> it was seen today at 10:20? >> about 40 minutes ago. >> 40 minutes ago. >> reporter: slowing down those ships is key to the whales' survival says noaa's lynn berry. does the geography put them on a potential collision course? >> there is challenging geography here. we've got many islands. we've got small channels, pinch points where whales and ships

want to share these waters. >> reporter: a plight similar to the north atlantic right whales on the east coast we told you about last year. >> is that a calf? >> yes, it is. >> reporter: that calf is one of five right whales reported dead this year, two from vessel strikes, one caught in fishing gear. now this early warning system on the pacific -- >> there was killer whales sighted off their port bow. >> reporter: may chart a new course to help protect those top predators on both coasts. anne thompson, nbc news, seattle. and up next tonight, good news on the front page. harry smith goes on a paper route through maine, and the mission to save a cherished local news source. maine, and the mission known as a loving parent. known for lessons that matter. known for lessons that matter. known for being a free spirit. no one wants to be known for cancer, but a treatment can be. keytruda is known to treat cancer, fda-approved for 16 types of cancer.

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exploring ways to treat even more types of cancer. it's tru. keytruda from merck. see all the types of cancer keytruda is known for at keytruda.com and ask your doctor if keytruda could be right for you. nothing comes close to this place in the morning. i'm so glad i can still come here. you see, i was diagnosed with obstructive hcm. and there were some days i was so short of breath. i thought i'd have to settle for never stepping foot on this trail again. i became great at making excuses. but i have people who count on me so i talked to my cardiologist. i said there must be more we can do for my symptoms. he told me about a medication called camzyos. he said camzyos works by targeting what's causing my obstructive hcm. so he prescribed it and i'm really glad he did. camzyos is used to treat adults with symptomatic obstructive hcm. camzyos may improve your symptoms and your ability to be active. camzyos may cause serious side effects, including heart failure that can lead to death. a risk that's increased if you develop a serious infection or irregular heartbeat or when taking certain other medicines.

so do not stop, start or change medicines or the dose without telling your healthcare provider. you must have echocardiograms before and during treatment. seek help if you experience new or worsening symptoms of heart failure. because of this risk, camzyos is only available through a restricted program. before taking camzyos, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including current or planned pregnancy. today with camzyos, i don't lose my breath as often. my symptoms have improved, helping me go from expecting less to experiencing more. my name is mike. and this is my camzyos moment. call your cardiologist today and see if a camzyos moment may be in your future too.

finally tonight, finally tonight, harry smith with the news from maine about the vital role and a lifeline for local news. >> reporter: at rolly's in central maine, many a customer digs into the lewiston sun journal along with their breakfast. locals have relied on it since 1847. but like many a local paper, its future was anything but certain. >> it's been tough. i mean it's no secret. advertising spending is down exponentially. our subscriptions are down. >> reporter: sun journal publisher jody jalbert has lived lewiston all her life.

>> we did as much as we possibly could not to pull the resources out of our newsroom. but everybody was tight. >> reporter: until last summer, when the sun journal, four other maine dailies and 16 weekly papers were sold to the not for profit national trust for local news. >> thank goodness. it was huge relief. a huge relief. the newsroom was ecstatic. they were so thankful. >> marla hoffman runs our night desk. >> reporter: executive editor judy meyer introduced us around, a newsroom full of experienced journalists who knew exactly what needed to be done last october when a gunman opened fire in a bowling alley and a bar here. >> almost everybody in this newsroom has bowled at that bowling alley. we've been to there. we know where it is. we know the people who were involved. and i think we approached it as this is not a crime story. this is a crime against our community. >> reporter: a story the sun journal continues to work on

five months later, long after the rest of us have left town. as a local daily, though, high school sports drive interest, as does restaurant news. and -- >> we still run birth notices in our papers. who does that anymore? >> reporter: not everyone loves the paper, though. some elected officials, community leaders. we're like tests, says meyer. >> a lot of mischief can go on in the dark. and that happens when you don't have local journalists keeping track of what's going on. >> reporter: mainers have relied on the sun journal for more than 175 years. thanks to the trust, they still can and be assured the delivery person beth combs will see that you get your copy, even at your back door. >> terrific story in a topic near and dear to all of us who practice journalism. harry, that's your final "nightly news" story. you're leaving us. what's next? >> it's time to move on. and i'm going to be heading to iowa this fall to teach at my alma mater, central college in pella.

i'm going to be teaching a course on curiosity. so we appreciate all the opportunities we've had here at nbc, and especially thanks to you, lester. >> and thank you. curiosity really defines who you are, that constant hunt for the story. we appreciate everything you've done. thanks very much, harry. >> thank you. that is "nightly news." thank you for watching, everyone. i'm lester holt. please take care of yourself and each other. good night. yourself and each other. good night.

could it be the last opening day in oakland? the a's start their opening season tonight and many fans are already lining up not to go in, but to boycott the team in their owner. good afternoon. welcome to nbc bay area news at 4:30. we were outside oakland coliseum this afternoon talking to fans ahead of first pitch.