Foreign Operators and Technical Superintendent of M/V Dali Indicted for Roles in Key Bridge Crash

Baltimore, Maryland – Two corporate entities and a shoreside superintendent face criminal charges in connection with the vessel crash that destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge. A federal court unsealed an indictment, today, charging three defendants with conspiracy to defraud the United States and with causing the death of six construction workers on the bridge, among other charges. On March 26, 2024, the Motor Vessel Dali , a 900-foot foreign flag container vessel, registered in Singapore, crashed into the Maryland bridge. The indictment alleges that the economic loss in this case is at least $5 billion. Synergy Marine Pte Ltd, based in Singapore, and Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd, based in Chennai, India, along with Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, 47, an Indian national who worked for both companies as the Technical Superintendent for the Dali , are charged with conspiracy, willfully failing to immediately inform the U.S. Coast Guard of a known hazardous condition, obstruction of an agency proceeding, and false statements. The two Synergy corporations are also charged with misdemeanor violations of the Clean Water Act, Oil Pollution Act, and Refuse Act for the discharge of pollutants into the Patapsco River, including shipping containers and their contents, oil, and the bridge itself. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson, Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD); Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office; Acting Director Zinnia James, Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS); and Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall, Environmental Protection Agency – Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID). "The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge was a preventable tragedy of enormous consequence," Blanche said. "This indictment is a critical step toward holding accountable those whose reckless disregard for maritime safety regulations caused this disaster. Six construction workers lost their lives, critical infrastructure was destroyed, pollutants were released into the Patapsco River and Chesapeake Bay, and the economic damage now exceeds five billion dollars. This department is committed to securing justice for the victims and ensuring those responsible are held to account." “This indictment is the first step in our efforts to hold those accountable who caused the tragic deaths of six people and catastrophic damage to our region,” Hayes said. “The safety of our residents, ports, and infrastructure is of utmost importance to the prosperity of the District of Maryland. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland will continue to pursue those who commit crimes that jeopardize those interests.” “The indictment alleges criminal conduct that led to the deaths of six Maryland residents, the destruction of the Key Bridge, and the discharge of pollution into the Patapsco River, causing billions of dollars of damage,” Gustafson said. “Following the laws for safe operation of commercial vessels is essential to doing business in our nation’s ports, especially the Port of Baltimore which sits on the Chesapeake Bay — our country’s largest estuary. Enforcing these laws is necessary to prevent disastrous consequences like the one that brought us here today.” “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,” Paul said. “This indictment should send a message to all ship operators that circumventing safety requirements and breaking U.S. laws will not be tolerated. I am proud of FBI Baltimore’s investigative teams who worked diligently over the last two years to find the truth and to hold those responsible accountable.” “At the core of the Coast Guard's mission is the protection of life and property and the facilitat