US prosecutors charge Singapore ship operator, key employee in deadly crash that collapsed Baltimore’s Key Bridge

The companies and Nair are charged with conspiracy, willfully failing to immediately inform the US Coast Guard of a known hazardous condition, obstruction of an agency proceeding and false statements.

A Federal Bureau of Investigation investigation into the crash focused on the vessel’s operations and whether the crew knew of critical systems issues before leaving port.

The National Transportation Safety Board found last year that two electrical blackouts – one caused by a loose wire aboard the Dali and another by problems with a fuel pump – disabled the controls of the huge cargo ship before it crashed into the bridge.

The Dali was leaving Baltimore bound for Sri Lanka when its steering failed because of the power loss. The ship crashed into a supporting column of the bridge at about 1.30am.

Maryland officials estimate it could cost between US$4.3 billion and US$5.2 billion to replace the bridge, which is expected to be open to traffic in late 2030.

But the true cost of the collapse was far greater, according to the Maryland attorney general’s office. It halted shipping at the Port of Baltimore, disrupted the livelihoods of thousands, rerouted road traffic through communities already bearing disproportionate burdens and triggered economic problems statewide.