One of the six construction workers, who plunged 185ft into the cold waters below the Baltimore bridge after it was hit by a cargo ship, has been identified after a desperate search was launched.

He is 49-year-old Miguel Luna, from El Salvador.

Family members, including his wife, Maria del Carmen Castellon, were allowed into the disaster zone as they awaited updates.

"They only tell us that we have to wait, that for now, they can’t give us information," the wife told Telemundo 44 on Tuesday, March 26.

First of six missing bridge workers named and pictured after Baltimore bridge collapse

"[We feel] devastated, devastated because our heart is broken, because we don’t know if they’ve rescued them yet. We’re just waiting to hear any news."

Given the time they have been missing and the water temperatures, the workers are presumed to have died.

The Coast Guard has since suspended its search and rescue mission and is instead focusing on a recovery mission.

"We do not want to injure any of these first responders in this recovery effort," an official said.