US prosecutors charge Singapore ship operator, key employee in deadly\ncrash that collapsed Baltimore\u2019s Key Bridge<\/p>\n
The Dali crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge on Mar 26, 2024,\nkilling six construction workers who had been filling potholes.<\/p>\n
BALTIMORE: Federal prosecutors announced criminal charges Tuesday\n(May 12) in the 2024 collapse of Baltimore\u2019s Francis Scott Key Bridge,\naccusing a Singapore-based ship operator and a senior employee of making\ncritical decisions that caused a vessel to crash into the span, killing\nsix people, and covering up what happened.<\/p>\n
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche called it a \u201cpreventable tragedy\nof enormous consequence\u201d.<\/p>\n
The indictment names Synergy Marine Pte Ltd., based in Singapore, and\nSynergy Maritime Pte Ltd., based in Chennai, India. Radhakrishnan\nKarthik Nair, 47, an Indian national who was technical superintendent\nfor the Dali container ship, was also charged.<\/p>\n
Synergy Marine expressed disappointment and accused the US Justice\nDepartment of turning an accident into a crime.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was a maritime casualty that should be assessed through the\nfull factual, technical and regulatory record, rather than through\nselective mischaracterisations in a criminal indictment. \u2026 Synergy will\nvigorously defend itself against these inaccurate allegations,\u201d the\ncompany said.<\/p>\n
The Dali, bound for Sri Lanka, lost power twice in a four-minute span\nas it moved to sea from the Port of Baltimore, causing it to crash into\nthe Key Bridge on March 24, 2024. Investigators say a loose wire in a\nswitchboard likely caused the first power loss that caused its steering\nto fail.<\/p>\n
After regaining power, the ship found itself in trouble again. The\nDali turned to a certain pump to supply fuel to two generators but the\npump was not designed to automatically restart after the first blackout,\nso a second blackout occurred, the indictment says.<\/p>\n
The ship crashed into a supporting column of the bridge at about\n1.30am.<\/p>\n
If the Dali had used the proper fuel pumps, according to the\nindictment, the vessel would have regained power in time to safely get\nunder the bridge. It crashed instead, killing six construction workers\nwho had been filling potholes.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs alleged, the bridge was struck and collapsed because those who\nwere responsible for the ship\u2019s operation deliberately cut corners at\nthe expense of safety,\u201d said Jimmy Paul, head of the FBI\u2019s Baltimore\noffice.<\/p>\n
The companies and Nair are charged with conspiracy, wilfully failing\nto immediately inform the US Coast Guard of a known hazardous condition,\nobstructing an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board\nand making false statements.<\/p>\n
The Synergy companies are also charged with misdemeanours for the\nrelease of pollutants into the Patapsco River, including shipping\ncontainers and their contents.<\/p>\n
The FBI\u2019s investigation focused on the vessel\u2019s operations and\nwhether the crew knew of critical systems issues before leaving port.\nThe NTSB found that the two electrical blackouts disabled the controls\nof the huge cargo ship before it crashed into the bridge.<\/p>\n
The ship had experienced two blackouts in port a day earlier, but\nSynergy didn\u2019t investigate or report those as required and provided\nfalse information to the NTSB, the government alleges.<\/p>\n
Maryland officials estimate it could cost between US$4.3 billion and\nUS$5.2 billion to replace the bridge, which is expected to be open to\ntraffic in late 2030.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe altered skyline is a constant reminder of this tragedy,\u201d Paul\nsaid.<\/p>\n
But the true cost of the collapse was far greater, according to the\nMaryland Attorney General\u2019s Office. It halted shipping at the Port of\nBaltimore, disrupted the livelihoods of thousands, rerouted road traffic\nthrough communities already bearing disproportionate burdens and\ntriggered economic problems statewide.<\/p>\n
The indictment comes on the heels of a settlement in principle\nbetween the State of Maryland, Synergy Marine and Grace Ocean Private\nLimited, the Singapore-based ship owner, Attorney General Anthony Brown\nannounced in April.<\/p>\n
That lawsuit alleged the crash was the result of negligence,\nmismanagement and the reckless operation of a vessel that was not\nseaworthy and should never have left port. Plaintiffs include the\nfamilies of the six construction workers who died, owners of cargo that\nwas on the ship and local governments seeking damages for economic\nlosses. The details of the settlement haven\u2019t been disclosed and some\nportions of the lawsuit remain unresolved.<\/p>\n
The state sought damages on behalf of its agencies for the\ndestruction of the bridge, harm to the Patapsco River and surrounding\nenvironment, lost revenues and economic losses to Maryland and its\nresidents.<\/p>\n
The settlement does not resolve any claims the state has against the\nshipbuilder, Hyundai, the attorney general\u2019s office said in April.<\/p>\n
The bridge, a longstanding Baltimore landmark, was a vital piece of\ntransportation infrastructure that allowed drivers to easily bypass\ndowntown. The original 2.6km steel span took five years to build and\nopened to traffic in 1977.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-prosecutors-charge-singapore-ship-operator-key-employee-in-deadly-crash-that-collapsed-baltimores-key-1778656133", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }