An 18-wheeler plunged off the Bay Bridge into the Chesapeake early Sunday, killing the truck driver and tying up traffic for miles.

It took rescue divers several hours to recover a body from the cab of the tractor-trailer that had crashed through a barrier and into the water around 4 a.m., said Cpl. Jonathan Green of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police. The two other vehicles involved in the accident remained on the bridge, and two people were rushed to area hospitals. Green did not know what caused the crash.

The rig, which was hauling frozen chickens, landed in about 10 feet of water, and the top of the trailer could be seen sticking out of the Bay.

The tractor-trailer belonged to Mountaire Farms, a poultry processing company based in Selbyville, Del., said company spokesman Roger Marino; he did not know the driver’s name.

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“It is a tragic loss for the Mountaire family, because it is a close-knit company. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family,” Marino said. “We will be assisting the authorities as we wait for more information.”

Authorities closed the eastbound span for hours and were using the westbound span for traffic heading in both directions. Delays stretched 10 miles on both sides of the span.

Hazardous-materials crews worked to contain a spill from the truck’s diesel fuel tank. A crane was called in to attempt to retrieve the tractor-trailer from the Bay.

The 4-mile bridge, which peaks at about 186 feet, is a major artery to the Delaware and Maryland beaches. The eastbound span opened in 1952, and the parallel structure opened about 20 years later.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

smccabe@dcexaminer.com