The U.S. Justice Department announced that a grand jury has indicted two foreign operators and a shoreside superintendent in connection with the March 2024 collision of the cargo ship Dali, which resulted in the destruction of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge and the deaths of six construction workers. The incident caused an estimated $5 billion in damages and significant environmental harm.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) identified a loose wire in the Dali’s electrical system as the cause of a breaker malfunction, leading to two blackouts and loss of propulsion and steering. Charged are Synergy Marine Pte Ltd from Singapore, Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd from India, and Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, the technical superintendent for the Dali, who is believed to be in India.
The charges include conspiracy, willfully failing to inform the U.S. Coast Guard of a hazardous condition, and providing false statements to the NTSB. Additionally, the companies face violations of the Clean Water Act and other environmental laws for discharging pollutants into the Patapsco River. The indictment claims that improper fuel supply management contributed to the Dali’s inability to regain power in time to navigate safely under the bridge.
