Federal prosecutors unsealed a major indictment today against two international shipping companies and a high-ranking official, alleging their negligence led to the catastrophic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The charges follow a two-year investigation into the March 26, 2024, disaster that killed six construction workers and paralyzed one of America’s busiest ports.
The indictment names Singapore-based Synergy Marine Pte Ltd, India-based Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd, and Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, a 47-year-old Indian national who served as the technical superintendent for the Motor Vessel Dali.
The defendants face a litany of charges, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, willfully failing to report hazardous conditions to the Coast Guard, and obstruction of an agency proceeding.
Federal investigators say the 900-foot container ship suffered two power failures in just four minutes while exiting the Port of Baltimore. According to the court documents, a loose wire in a high-voltage switchboard likely caused the initial blackout.
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While the ship was designed with backup systems to recover quickly, the indictment alleges the defendants had “altered the ship,” relying on a specific flushing pump to feed fuel to the generators. This pump was not designed to restart automatically after a power loss, which led to a second, fatal blackout that left the massive vessel drifting toward the bridge.
“The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge was a preventable tragedy of enormous consequence,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This indictment is a critical step toward holding accountable those whose reckless disregard for maritime safety regulations caused this disaster.”
Beyond the loss of life, the economic fallout is estimated at a minimum of $5 billion. The two Synergy corporations also face misdemeanor charges under the Clean Water Act and the Oil Pollution Act for dumping oil, shipping containers, and bridge debris into the Patapsco River and Chesapeake Bay.
Prosecutors further allege a cover-up during the initial investigation. Nair and the companies are accused of making false statements to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Specifically, Nair allegedly claimed he was unaware the ship was using the faulty flushing pump system to run its generators.
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“This indictment reveals a pattern of deception and egregious violations that led to the unsafe operation of the Dali,” said Jimmy Paul, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. He added that the case should serve as a warning to ship operators that “circumventing safety requirements and breaking U.S. laws will not be tolerated.”
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes emphasized that the legal action is the “first step” in seeking justice for the victims and the region. The case is being handled by the District of Maryland and the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.
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