The Dali, a cargo ship involved in the destruction of a Baltimore bridge, has begun its journey from Baltimore to Norfolk, Virginia for repairs. Eight of the 21 crew members have returned home after being confined on board for months due to various complications. Two other crew members have also been cleared to return overseas, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the ship’s manager.
Four crew members remain on the ship to assist a relief crew during the voyage to Norfolk, while the remaining seven crew members must stay in the US indefinitely. The crew members, mostly from India and one from Sri Lanka, had been stuck on the Dali since March 26 when the ship lost power and collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, resulting in the deaths of six construction workers.
Investigations are ongoing to determine responsibility for the disaster. The ship’s officers, among the crew members required to stay in the US, have been cooperating with authorities. The crew members who will remain in the US are expected to stay in hotels or apartments, facing uncertainty about their future and when they will see their families again. Repair efforts on the vessel continue as new details emerge in the federal probe into the cause of the bridge collapse.