(The Center Square) – Federal prosecutors have indicted the foreign operators of the cargo ship involved in the 2024 collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge.
A federal grand jury charged Synergy Marine Pte Ltd of Singapore, Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd of India, and company official Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair with conspiracy to defraud the United States and charges tied to the deaths of six construction workers.
According to the indictment, the M/V Dali lost power twice within four minutes as it departed the Port of Baltimore. Prosecutors say it was because the defendants modified the vessel’s fuel system in a way that prevented it from automatically restarting after a blackout. Prosecutors say the ship could have safely cleared the bridge had the proper equipment been used.
The defendants are also charged with obstruction and making false statements to federal investigators. The two corporations face additional environmental charges tied to pollutants discharged into the Patapsco River.
The indictment says economic damages are at least $5 billion.
