Dozens of containers with hazardous material remain on ship but do not pose threat to public, Coast Guard says

Coast Guard Vice Admiral Peter Gautier speaks during the daily briefing at White House in Washington, DC, on Wednesday. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

Dozens of containers with hazardous materials are among the more than 4,700 cargo containers that remain on the ship that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, Coast Guard Vice Admiral Peter Gautier said at the White House on Wednesday.

Of the 4,700 containers on the ship, 56 contained hazardous materials, he said. But Gautier said the containers pose no threat to the public. They were in an area of the ship largely unaffected by damage, he said.

Two containers are missing overboard. Those containers do not contain hazardous material, he said.