Federal prosecutors have filed criminal charges against the operator of the cargo ship involved in the 2024 collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, accusing company officials of cutting safety corners that led to the deadly disaster.
The indictment, announced Tuesday, charges Singapore-based Synergy Marine Pte Ltd., Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd. of India, and senior ship employee Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair in connection with the collapse that killed six construction workers.
Authorities said the Dali container ship lost electrical power twice within minutes while departing the Port of Baltimore on March 24, 2024, before crashing into a support column of the bridge around 1:30 a.m. The impact caused the massive span to collapse into the Patapsco River.
Investigators allege a loose wire in one of the ship’s switchboards caused the initial blackout, disabling steering controls. After power briefly returned, prosecutors said the crew used an improper fuel pump that was unable to automatically restart after the first outage, leading to a second blackout.
Federal officials said the ship would likely have regained sufficient power to safely pass beneath the bridge if the correct fuel pumps had been used.
The collapse killed six road construction workers who were filling potholes on the bridge overnight. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche described the disaster as preventable, while FBI officials alleged the companies deliberately ignored safety concerns.
Prosecutors also accused the companies and Nair of failing to report known hazardous conditions to the U.S. Coast Guard and obstructing the investigation conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board. Authorities allege the ship experienced two earlier blackouts while still in port the previous day, but those incidents were neither properly investigated nor reported.
The companies also face misdemeanor pollution charges tied to debris and shipping containers that spilled into the Patapsco River following the collapse.
The criminal case comes as multiple civil lawsuits remain active over the disaster. Maryland officials previously reached a settlement in principle with Synergy Marine and the ship’s owner, Grace Ocean Private Limited, though details have not been released.
Maryland estimates replacing the Francis Scott Key Bridge could cost between $4.3 billion and $5.2 billion, with the new span expected to reopen by late 2030.
The bridge, opened in 1977, served as a critical bypass around downtown Baltimore and was considered one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.
Source: NPR