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Federal officials announced Tuesday that criminal charges have been brought against the Singaporean operator and an employee of the container ship that downed Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge more than two years ago.
The indictment, filed on April 8, accuses Synergy Marine Private Limited, Synergy Maritime Private Limited and technical superintendent Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, an Indian national, of conspiracy to defraud the United States, misconduct resulting in death and obstruction, among other charges.
Federal officials allege the company improperly “altered” flushing pumps on the Dali container ship to supply fuel to two of the ship’s generators, ultimately causing a second blackout after the ship lost power initially due to a loose wire.
“The indictment alleges that if the Dali had been using the proper fuel supply pumps, then the vessel would have regained power in time to safely navigate under the Key Bridge,” U.S. Attorney Kelly Hayes said in a press conference.
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The container ship Dali is seen in the wreckage of Francis Scott Key Bridge nearly a week after it struck a structural pier, causing part of the bridge to collapse on April 1, 2024. (Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service/Getty Images)
The utilization of such flushing pumps is considered a violation of international law, with authorities alleging the company’s operators – including Nair – “knew about the improper use of the flushing pump and the risks that it presented,” Hayes said.
“The indictment further alleges that after the crash, Nair falsely told the National Transportation Safety Board that he was unaware that the Dali was using the flushing pump,” Hayes added.
The collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge rests on the container ship Dali in Baltimore, as seen from Riviera Beach, Maryland, on May 12, 2024. Crew members on the cargo ship Dali may return home as soon as Thursday, June 20, 2024, under an agreement allowing lawyers to question them amid investigations into the deadly collapse of the bridge. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)
Investigators found evidence of the pumps being used on three ships – including the Dali – that are operated by the company, officials said.
The development comes after Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited reached a settlement with the federal government over damages stemming from the ship’s collapse, including disruption to the port and environmental damage. A civil trial is set for the summer.
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Salvage crews continue cleaning wreckage from the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse over the Patapsco River in Baltimore, Maryland, on June 11, 2024. The Fort McHenry Federal Channel has fully reopened for shipping months after the cargo ship Dali collided with the bridge, causing the collapse. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
On March 26, 2024, the Dali was navigating out of Baltimore Harbor when it lost power and struck a support pier, causing it to collapse into the Patapsco River.
The collision killed six construction workers who were on the bridge at the time.
“The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge was a preventable tragedy of enormous consequence,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said. “This indictment is a critical step toward holding accountable those whose reckless disregard for maritime safety regulations caused this disaster.”