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US indicts foreign operators and individuals in collapse of Baltimore Key Bridge in 2024

U.S. Justice Department?said Tuesday that a grand jury had indicted two?foreigners and a shoreside supervisor in the collision in March 2024 of?the cargo ship Dali?that sank Baltimore's Francis?Key?Bridge, and killed six construction workers. Justice Department stated that the collision resulted in at least $5 billion of damage, as well as significant environmental damage. The National Transportation Safety Board determined that a loose wire in an electrical system was the cause of a breaker opening unexpectedly, which led to a series of events leading to two blackouts on board and loss of steering and propulsion.

Synergy Marine Pte Ltd based in Singapore and Synergy Marine Pte Ltd based in Chennai in India, as well as Radhakrishnan Nair, 47 an Indian national who worked in both companies for both of them, the Dali's technical superintendent, have been charged with conspiracy and obstruction of an agency proceeding.

The prosecution said that Nair was believed to be in India.

Companies and individuals were accused of conspiring to defraud United States, and causing death on the bridge for six construction workers.

The companies, as well as Nair, are accused of providing false documents and statements to the National Technical Standards Board.

Both Synergy Corporations are charged with violating the Clean Water Act and Oil Pollution Act as well as the Refuse Act. They have discharged?pollutants' into the Patapsco River.

According to the indictment the Dali lost power twice in four minutes as it left the Port of Baltimore. This caused it to crash into Key Bridge.

The Justice Department said the defendants were accused of relying upon a flushing 'pump' to supply fuel to the Dali generators. However, the pump was not built to automatically restart following a blackout and the Dali generators couldn't operate without fuel.

According to the indictment, if the Dali had been using the proper fuel pumps, it would have recovered power in time for the vessel to safely navigate beneath the bridge. (Reporting and editing by Andrea Ricci; David Shepardson)

(source: Reuters)