Justice Department Files Criminal Charges in Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse
Federal prosecutors have filed criminal charges against two Singapore-based shipping companies and a technical superintendent in connection with the March 2024 collision that caused the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, killing six construction workers.
Details of the Indictment
The U.S. Department of Justice announced the charges on Tuesday against Synergy Marine Group, a global shipping operator, its subsidiaries, and technical superintendent Carmelo Anthony Nair. The indictment, the first criminal charges related to the M/V Dali’s crash into the bridge on March 26, 2024, alleges safety violations contributed to the incident.
Prosecutors claim that proper use of fuel supply pumps would have allowed the Dali to regain power in time to navigate safely under the Key Bridge. The vessel was departing the Port of Baltimore when the collision occurred.
Obstruction and False Statement Charges
In addition to safety violations, Synergy Marine Group and Nair face charges of obstruction of an agency proceeding, making false statements, and providing false documents to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) during its casualty investigation.
The obstruction allegations include Nair’s statements to the NTSB denying knowledge that the Dali was using a flushing pump to supply fuel to its generators.
Ongoing Investigation
The case is being investigated by the FBI, Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), and the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Criminal Investigation Division. The charges come more than two years after the collapse, which disrupted one of the nation’s busiest shipping corridors.