A legal battle unfolds as the U.S. Department of Justice takes action against those responsible for the Baltimore Bridge disaster.
Fox News reports that the Justice Department has filed a $100 million lawsuit against the owner and operator of the Dali vessel, which crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing its collapse.
The civil claim targets Singaporean corporations Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, aims to recover the federal government's costs in responding to the disaster and cleanup efforts. It does not include the costs of bridge reconstruction incurred by the state of Maryland and may be subject to a separate claim in the future.
The Justice Department's lawsuit paints a picture of gross negligence and unpreparedness on the part of the vessel's owners and operators. According to the claim, Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine sent an ill-prepared crew on an unseaworthy vessel to navigate U.S. waterways, prioritizing profit over safety.
The lawsuit alleges that the companies were aware of vibration issues on the vessel that could cause a power outage but failed to take necessary precautions. Instead, they reportedly configured the ship's electrical and mechanical systems in a way that prevented quick restoration of propulsion and steering after a power outage.
These alleged failures led to a cascading series of events on March 26, 2024, when the Dali lost power twice while maneuvering through Fort McHenry Channel, ultimately resulting in the collision with the Key Bridge and its subsequent collapse.
The incident resulted in the tragic loss of six lives and caused significant disruption to the Port of Baltimore and surrounding infrastructure. The collapse of the bridge brought all shipping in and out of the port to a standstill and cut off a critical highway route.
In the aftermath, the U.S. government had to undertake a massive cleanup operation, removing approximately 50,000 tons of steel, concrete, and asphalt from the channel and the ship itself. This extensive effort was necessary to eventually reopen the Port of Baltimore and restore some semblance of normalcy to the area.
The lawsuit seeks to hold the vessel's owners and operators fully accountable for the catastrophic harm caused and to impose punitive damages as a deterrent against similar misconduct in the future.
Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized the Justice Department's commitment to ensuring accountability for those responsible for the bridge's destruction. He stated:
The Justice Department is committed to ensuring accountability for those responsible for the destruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which resulted in the tragic deaths of six people and disrupted our country’s transportation and defense infrastructure. With this civil claim, the Justice Department is working to ensure that the costs of clearing the channel and reopening the Port of Baltimore are borne by the companies that caused the crash, not by the American taxpayer.
The lawsuit argues that the incident was entirely avoidable and resulted from a series of foreseeable errors made by the owner and operator of the Dali. It seeks to recover costs incurred by the United States in responding to the disaster, including the removal of bridge parts from the channel and those entangled with the vessel, as well as mitigating the substantial risk of oil pollution.
Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin Mizer highlighted the alleged negligence and mismanagement of the vessel's operators, stating that their actions, driven by a desire to cut costs, led to the disaster when the Dali lost power.
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a $100 million lawsuit against the owner and operator of the Dali vessel responsible for the Baltimore Key Bridge collapse. The lawsuit alleges gross negligence and unpreparedness, citing the companies' failure to address known issues with the vessel. The legal action seeks to recover costs incurred by the federal government in disaster response and cleanup efforts. This case highlights the ongoing impact of the bridge collapse and the government's commitment to holding responsible parties accountable for the tragedy.
