Ship operators involved in Baltimore bridge collapse charged with misconduct and obstruction

The Department of Justice announced Tuesday 18 charges against the operators of the cargo ship Dali that crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge more than two years ago causing it to collapse and killing six people on the bridge.

Federal prosecutors charged Singapore-based Synergy Marine Pte Ltd and Chennai-based Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd along with Indian national Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair a 47-year-old technical superintendent for both companies.

They face conspiracy, willfully failing to immediately inform the U.S. Coast Guard of a known hazardous condition, obstruction of an agency proceeding and false statements.

The companies also face misdemeanor violations of the Clean Water Act Oil Pollution Act and Refuse Act for discharging pollutants into Maryland’s Patapsco River including shipping containers their contents oil and the bridge itself.

On March 26 2024 the 900-foot Dali lost power twice and slammed into the bridge support in the early hours as a work crew fixed potholes.

Six construction workers died when the bridge crumbled into the river.

Another worker fell into the waters below and sustained serious injuries but survived.

The collapse brought the critically important Baltimore Port to a standstill for two months and reconstruction of the bridge is ongoing. The expected completion date is 2030.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche called the collapse a preventable tragedy of enormous consequence.

He said this indictment is a critical step toward holding accountable those whose reckless disregard for maritime safety regulations caused this disaster that killed six workers destroyed critical infrastructure released pollutants into the Patapsco River and Chesapeake Bay and caused economic damage now exceeding five billion dollars.