A view of the Dali cargo ship that collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the bridge to collapse, in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, March 26, 2024.
Julia Nickinson | Reuters
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the owner and manager of the cargo ship involved in the accident. Baltimore Bridge CollapseThe government is seeking recoupment for more than $100 million it spent to remove underwater debris and reopen the city’s port.
A lawsuit filed in Maryland alleges that the electrical and mechanical systems of the Dali ship Improperly maintainedAs a result, the engine shut down and the plane veered off course, crashing into a support pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March.
“This tragedy was entirely avoidable,” according to the lawsuit.
The collapse disrupted commercial shipping traffic through the Port of Baltimore for several months, after which It was fully opened in June.
“Through this civil lawsuit, the Department of Justice is seeking to ensure that the costs of cleaning up our waterways and reopening the Port of Baltimore are paid for by the companies that caused the accident, rather than by American taxpayers,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a written statement.
The lawsuit was filed against Dali’s owner, Grace Ocean Private Limited, and the ship’s manager, Synergy Marine Group, both of Singapore. The companies filed the lawsuit just days after the collapse. Limiting Liability This could be the most expensive maritime accident in history.
The ship was en route from Baltimore to Sri Lanka when it lost power and became unable to steer, and six road construction workers were killed when the bridge collapsed. The workers had been working the night shift filling a hole in the bridge deck when the deck suddenly collapsed, causing the workers to fall into the water.
“This accident was the result of careless and grossly negligent decisions by Grace Ocean and Synergy, who recklessly chose to send unseaworthy vessels into critical waterways and ignored the risks to American lives and our nation’s infrastructure,” said Acting Attorney General Chetan Patil.
On Tuesday, the victim’s family Expressed their intentions File a lawsuit to hold the shipowners and managers fully responsible for the disaster. Other StakeholdersStakeholders, including city officials and local businesses, have filed a countersuit accusing the two companies of negligence.
The families are also calling for stronger workplace protections, especially for immigrant workers – all of the victims were Latino immigrants who came to the US in search of higher-paying jobs and opportunities.
