A Singapore-based shipping management company and its affiliated firm in India are facing serious criminal charges in the United States over the catastrophic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland in 2024.
US prosecutors announced that Synergy Marine Group and Synergy Maritime were indicted on charges including conspiracy to defraud, false statements to investigators, and other maritime safety violations.
The indictment also names Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, a 47-year-old Indian national who served as technical superintendent for the cargo vessel MV Dali. According to US authorities, Nair is believed to be in India and is not currently in custody.
The disaster occurred on March 26, 2024, when the MV Dali suffered multiple electrical failures and lost propulsion while approaching the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The ship struck one of the bridge’s support columns, causing the entire structure to collapse into the Patapsco River.
Six construction workers, all immigrants from Latin America, lost their lives in the tragedy.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board found that a loose wire connection in a high-voltage switchboard caused the vessel to lose power.
Authorities allege the companies ignored critical safety hazards, falsified inspections, and misled investigators about the ship’s condition.
The bridge reconstruction is expected to cost more than $5.2 billion, with Maryland officials targeting completion by 2030.
