Key Bridge Collapse: Criminal Charges Filed Against Dali Operator

Updated at 11:50 a.m.

BALTIMORE, MD — Criminal charges were announced Tuesday against the operator of the M/V Dali cargo ship that collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in 2024.

An unsealed indictment named Synergy Marine Private Limited, Synergy Maritime Private Limited and 47-year-old Indian national Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, who worked as a technical superintendent for the Dali.

The Synergy group and Karthik Nair were charged with conspiracy, willfully failing to immediately inform the U.S. Coast Guard of a known hazardous condition, obstruction of an agency proceeding, and making false statements.

Additionally, the two Synergy companies are being charged with violating the Clean Water Act, Oil Pollution Act, and Refuse Act for the discharge of pollutants into the Patapsco River.

The charges were announced in a joint news conference with the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland and the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division.

At the center of the indictment detailed by officials is a flushing pump system that investigators previously determined caused blackouts on the ship, which led to the bridge's collapse.

Officials say the flushing pumps have been used by Synergy since 2020 and that the company not only hid its use but also lied to regulators about it.

The Dali vessel twice lost power before the March 2024 collision but was able to restart the first time through backup protocols.

However, it failed to regain power after a second outage when the flushing pump did not supply fuel to the Dali's generators.

Authorities say the first outage was "likely" caused by loose wiring, and that the pumping system was not designed to automatically restart after blackouts.

"We allege that the second outage resulted from the Dali's use of an unapproved flushing pump in the fuel oil supply system," said Adam Gustafson, the principal deputy assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division.

"That unapproved flushing pump was a problem, because it did not automatically restart after the first outage."

"We allege that Synergy knew about the improper use of the flushing pump on the Dali and on other Synergy vessels and willfully failed to notify the Coast Guard of this hazardous condition," he added.

A total of three vessels under the Synergy banner use the flushing system, including the Dali.

Karthik Nair is accused of removing references of the flushing pumps from official documents submitted to the National Transportation Safety Board during its casualty investigation. He is said to have told investigators that he was unaware the Dali was fitted with the flushing pumps.

Authorities have said that other employees were also directed to take similar steps to fabricate documentation.

Related:

• MD Axes Builder For Key Bridge, Potentially Delaying Project
• MD, Ship Owner Reach Settlement In Key Bridge Collapse Case

“The indictment reveals a pattern of deception and egregious violations that led to the unsafe operation of the Dali which recklessly endangered the public and resulted in the ship striking the bridge,” said Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, of the FBI Baltimore Field Office.

“This indictment should send a message to all ship operators that circumventing safety requirements and breaking U.S. laws will not be tolerated."

In a statement to The Banner, a Synergy spokesperson disputed the claims outlined in the indictment, adding that the company would "defend" itself.

The latest comes after the state broke ties in late April with Kiewit, the lead contractor for the rebuild of the bridge.

Earlier, Maryland reached a preliminary settlement with both Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited.

The agreement resolved claims brought against the companies by the Attorney General's Civil Litigation Division on behalf of the state and agencies, including the Maryland Transportation Authority, the Maryland Port Administration, and the Maryland Department of the Environment.

A civil trial involving families of the victims and local businesses is scheduled to begin June 1 in the U.S. District Court.

The Collapse & Rebuilding Efforts

In the early morning hours of March 26, 2024, eight construction workers were taking a break in their cars when the Dali container ship lost power and collided with a support pylon.

Only two workers survived after the bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River. An employee had described the sound of the collapse as "crumbling thunder noise."

Findings by the National Transportation Safety Board determined the bridge collapsed some 13 seconds after being hit.

More than two years on, a rebuilding timeline has the bridge being restored by late 2030. The cost of rebuilding is more than $5 billion.

Related: Key Bridge Collapse: Where Do Things Stand 2 Years Later?

Preliminary work for test piles remains ongoing as the majority of the bridge has been removed from the site. Two ramps of the former bridge are still visible.

Work on the first phase of construction is scheduled to run through spring, with demolition and pre-construction efforts continuing through the end of the year.