DOJ Brings Charges in Baltimore Bridge Collapse

Federal prosecutors say the 2024 collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge wasn't just a tragedy—it was a crime. An indictment unsealed Tuesday charges Singapore-based Synergy Marine Group and subsidiaries with a raft of offenses tied to the Dali container ship's deadly collision with the bridge, which killed six road crew workers on March 26, 2024. Prosecutors allege the company failed to maintain critical safety systems across its fleet, leaving the Dali unable to recover from a power loss or change course in time, per the Washington Post. The indictment also accuses Synergy of falsifying inspection records and misleading investigators after the crash.

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board previously faulted a loose wire and improper fuel pumps on the Dali and criticized Synergy Marine Group for deficient oversight. The Dali had experienced two earlier electrical blackouts before losing power near the bridge, the Post reports. Synergy and the ship's technical supervisor, Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, face charges including conspiracy, misconduct or neglect of ship officers resulting in death, obstruction of an agency proceeding, and other charges related to the release of pollutants into the Patapsco River, per NBC News. Federal and environmental officials are expected to outline the case at a Tuesday news conference.