Florida Building Collapse: Puerto Rican Artist and Costa Rican Accountant Among 18 Dead; Many Latin Americans Still Missing

A Puerto Rican artist and Costa Rican accountant are among the 18 confirmed dead in the Florida building collapse as search and rescue efforts continue.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said the death toll from the Florida building collapse rose to 18 on Wednesday, June 30, as rescue teams continue to search for missing people.

Among the 18 dead identified in the rubble of the Florida building collapse was a Puerto Rican graphic artist identified as 26 years old Luis Andres Bermudez, Al Jazeera reported.

Bermudez was reported to reside with his mother, Ana Ortiz, on the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Florida that collapsed on June 24. Bermudez's mother was also identified as one of the casualties in the tragedy.

The Puerto Rican and Costa Rican Victims

Bermudez's teacher noted that the Puerto Rican artist was confined to a wheelchair due to muscular dystrophy, but he never missed classes and was always smiling.

"Luis Andres is an example of courage and bravery for all of us," said Jose Ortiz Carlo, Bermudez's teacher in a photography class at Robinson School in Puerto Rico. Bermudez graduated from Robinson School in 2014.

Another Latin American victim in the Florida building collapse was a Costa Rican accountant identified as 50 years old, Michael Altman.

Altman was reported to move to the United States from Costa Rica with his parents when he was about 4 years old. Nicholas Altman, the son of the Costa Rican accountant, confirmed these details to Al Jazeera.

Michael Altman was reported to reside in the Champlain Towers South building for more than six years in a unit owned by his family since the 1980s.

Many Latin Americans Still Missing in Florida Building Collapse

Apart from the Puerto Rican artist and Costa Rican accountant, many other Latin Americans were also inside the building when it collapsed.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay said that six Paraguayans were among those who were not yet located, NBC News reported. The sister of Paraguay's first lady Silvana López Moreira and her family were among those still unaccounted for.

At least nine people from Argentina were still unaccounted for, according to the Argentinian Consulate in Miami. The nephew of the former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet was also among those missing.

Reports further noted that other Latin American victims are from Colombia, Venezuela, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Cuba.

Florida Building Collapse: Death Toll Rises to 18 and 145 Remain Unaccounted For

Search crews pulled six more bodies in the rubble of the collapsed building on Wednesday, June 30. It was the highest one-day toll since the condo tower collapsed almost a week ago.

In a news conference on Wednesday evening, Levine Cava noted that two children were among the dead in the Florida building collapse.

The mayor noted that sisters Lucia Guara, 10, and Emma Guara, 4, were recovered Wednesday. Their mother, 42-year-old Anaely Rodriguez, also known as Ana Guara, and Andreas Giannitsopoulos, 21, were also recovered.

Despite the rescue efforts, officials said 145 individuals are still missing. Since the Florida building collapse happened, the rescuers worked to peel the layers of concrete on the site without disturbing the unstable pile of debris.

Earlier on Wednesday, crews searching for survivors built a ramp that would allow heavier equipment to help in accelerating the removal of debris.

WATCH: New Audio Released From Condo Building Collapse in Surfside, Florida - From ABC News