US federal prosecutors on Tuesday charged Singapore-based ship operator Synergy Marine and technical superintendent Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair over the Baltimore Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse that killed 6 construction workers. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The charges stem from the March 26, 2024 crash of the container ship Dali into the bridge. Prosecutors said the vessel lost power twice in a span of about 4 minutes before impact, and investigators pointed to a loose wire in a switchboard as the likely cause of the first blackout. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The second loss of power was tied to fuel-pump or flushing-pump problems that affected the ship's generators, according to the prosecutors' account. The indictment includes conspiracy and obstruction-related offences, along with allegations that the company or crew failed to tell the US Coast Guard about a hazardous condition. [1, 2, 4]
US Attorney Kelly Hayes said, "The indictment alleges that if the Dali had been using the proper fuel supply pumps, then the vessel would have regained power in time to safely navigate under the Key Bridge." Todd Blanche called the disaster "a preventable tragedy of enormous consequence." [1, 3, 4]
Synergy Marine said it would "vigorously defend" itself and urged that the case be judged on the full factual and technical record rather than "selective mischaracterisations" in a criminal indictment. [3]
The collapse shut down shipping at the Port of Baltimore and triggered a long reconstruction effort. Authorities have estimated the bridge replacement cost at $4.3 billion to $5.2 billion and said reopening is not expected until late 2030. [1, 2]
The indictment was announced on Tuesday, May 12, and the case adds criminal charges to the wider fallout from the crash, which already led to major disruption at one of the East Coast's key ports. [2, 3, 4]
