Federal prosecutors have indicted a Singapore-based shipping company, its Indian subsidiary, and a crew supervisor for the catastrophic Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore that killed six workers and caused five billion dollars in damages. The Justice Department charges reveal unprofessional maintenance practices and deliberate attempts to hide critical safety failures from Coast Guard inspectors.

Two Blackouts in Four Minutes

The containership Dali lost power twice within four minutes as it departed Baltimore’s port in March 2024, ultimately crashing into the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Federal investigators determined a loose wire in a high-voltage switchboard likely triggered the first blackout. The vessel’s backup systems were designed with automatic restart capabilities, but the crew had improperly reconfigured critical fuel supply systems, according to the indictment filed against Synergy Marine, its Chennai-based subsidiary, and technical superintendent Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair.

Jury-Rigged Fuel System Failed

Court documents reveal the defendants relied on a flushing pump to supply fuel to two of the ship’s four generators instead of using proper fuel supply pumps. The flushing pump lacked automatic restart capability following power loss, leaving the generators without fuel when the ship needed them most. If proper equipment had been installed, the Dali would have regained power in time to safely navigate under the bridge, prosecutors stated. The improvised system proved catastrophic when the vessel experienced its second blackout moments after recovering from the first.

Cover-Up Allegations Surface

Federal prosecutors charged Synergy Marine and supervisor Nair with obstruction and providing false statements to National Transportation Safety Board investigators. The indictment specifically alleges Nair told NTSB officials he was unaware the Dali used the flushing pump for fuel delivery, despite his role as technical superintendent. The charges include conspiracy to defraud the United States, obstruction of an agency proceeding, and failure to immediately notify the Coast Guard of known hazardous conditions aboard the vessel.

Cheap Labor, Deadly Consequences

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche called the bridge collapse a preventable tragedy of enormous consequence, emphasizing that reckless disregard for safety caused the disaster. The incident highlights widespread concerns about foreign companies hiring cheap overseas crews for vessels operating in American waters. Six construction workers—immigrants repairing the bridge—died when the structure collapsed into the Patapsco River. The disaster shut down the Port of Baltimore for weeks, disrupting supply chains and costing the regional economy billions in losses beyond the immediate infrastructure damage.