The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Tuesday that a grand jury has issued indictments against two foreign operators and a shoreside superintendent in connection with the March 2024 collision involving the cargo ship Dali, which resulted in the destruction of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge and the tragic deaths of six construction workers. Synergy Marine Pte Ltd., headquartered in Singapore, and Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd., based in Chennai, India, along with Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, a 47-year-old Indian national who served as the technical superintendent for the Dali, are facing charges including conspiracy, failure to promptly report a hazardous condition to the U.S. Coast Guard, obstruction of an agency proceeding, and making false statements.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized that the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge was a preventable and significant tragedy. Nair is believed to be in India, and it is uncertain whether the U.S. has requested assistance from Indian authorities for extradition. The accused companies and individual are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, as well as the responsibility for the deaths of the six workers on the bridge, among other offenses.
Furthermore, the parties are accused of providing false statements and documents to the National Transportation Safety Board. The two Synergy corporations are also facing charges related to violations of the Clean Water Act, Oil Pollution Act, and Refuse Act for discharging pollutants into the Patapsco River. The indictment details that the Dali experienced two power failures within a short span while departing from the Port of Baltimore, ultimately colliding with a bridge support column, resulting in the tragic incident.
The Justice Department revealed that the defendants allegedly relied on an inadequate flushing pump to supply fuel to the ship’s generators, leading to the power loss. Proper fuel supply pumps could have averted the collision, allowing the vessel to navigate safely under the bridge. The incident resulted in substantial financial and environmental damages, estimated at over $5 billion, and severely impacted the region’s economy.
A recent civil settlement was also mentioned, following an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board that highlighted electrical blackouts as contributing factors to the accident. The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, a vital transportation link in Baltimore, disrupted traffic and commerce in the area, causing significant economic repercussions. Maryland authorities are actively pursuing legal actions against the responsible parties to seek justice for the victims and compensate for the losses incurred.
