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U.S. Indicts Ship Operator and Supervisor in Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse

Prosecutors allege an improper fuel‑pump setup kept the Dali from regaining power.

View of the Dali cargo vessel which crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge causing it to collapse in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., April 4, 2024. REUTERS/Nathan Howard/File Photo
Crews conduct a controlled demolition of a section of the Francis Scott Key Bridge resting on the Dali container ship in Baltimore on May 13, 2024. The Francis Scott Key Bridge, a major transit route into the busy port of Baltimore, collapsed on March 26 when the Dali container ship lost power and collided into a support column, killing six roadway construction workers. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP)

Overview

  • An indictment unsealed Tuesday names Synergy Marine’s Singapore and India units and Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, alleging conspiracy, obstruction, false statements, and failure to alert the Coast Guard after the 2024 crash that killed six workers.
  • Prosecutors say crews fed two generators with a maintenance “flushing pump” that cannot restart on its own, leaving the ship without power to steer back on course.
  • The NTSB found two blackouts before impact, with the first triggered by a loose wire and the second tied to the fuel‑pump setup used for months.
  • Authorities say Nair is believed to be in India, and they are working to bring him to U.S. court, a process complicated by cross‑border extradition.
  • Hours after the charges, Maryland announced a finalized $2.25 billion settlement with the ship’s owner and operator that resolves state claims but not its case against shipbuilder Hyundai.