Two years after a container ship rammed into and collapsed Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, the Justice Department has announced criminal charges against two companies and the ship’s technical superintendent.
The crash killed six highway workers and cut off traffic to one of the US’ largest shipping ports, officials said, adding it will cost billions to rebuild the bridge.
Synergy Marine Pte Ltd, based in Singapore, and Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd, based in Chennai, India, along with Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, 47, who worked for both companies as the technical superintendent for the “Dali,” are charged with conspiracy, willfully failing to immediately inform the Coast Guard of a known hazardous condition, obstruction of an agency proceeding, and false statements.
“The government’s investigation also found that Synergy employees, including its shore side technical managers, fabricated and directed the fabrication of safety inspections and certifications related to vessel systems,” US Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland said at a press conference in Baltimore Tuesday. She said investigators believe Nair, who is an Indian national, is in India.
“We are going to enforce and use all our available law enforcement tools” to try and get him, Hayes said.
Continue reading the complete article on the original source
