BALTIMORE — The Department of Justice on Tuesday announced 18 criminal charges against Synergy Marine Pte Ltd, Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd and technical superintendent Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair in connection with the 2024 crash of the cargo ship Dali into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge. The indictment charges the two companies and Nair with conspiracy, willfully failing to immediately inform the U.S. Coast Guard of a known hazardous condition, obstruction of an agency proceeding, making false statements, and misconduct or neglect of ship officers that resulted in death.

The companies are also accused of misdemeanor violations of the Clean Water Act, the Oil Pollution Act and the Refuse Act related to the discharge of pollutants into the Patapsco River, including shipping containers, their contents, oil and the bridge itself. Nair, 47, an Indian national, served as technical superintendent for the Dali.

"The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge was a preventable tragedy of enormous consequence," Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said. "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." Blanche also said: "This indictment is a critical step toward holding accountable those whose reckless disregard for maritime safety regulations caused this disaster."

The 900-foot Dali lost power twice and struck a supporting column of the bridge at about 1:30 a.m. on March 26, 2024, while a work crew was repairing potholes on the span. Six construction workers died when the bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River. The workers killed were Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, Carlos Daniel Hernandez Estrella, Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, Jose Mynor Lopez, Miguel Angel Luna and Maynor Yasir Suazo Sandoval. Another worker fell into the water, sustained serious injuries and survived. An inspector working as a subcontractor for the Maryland Transportation Authority escaped without injuries, and nearly two dozen crew members on the ship survived, along with two harbor pilots.

Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul said: "Alejandro, Miguel, Dorlian, Maynor, Carlos and Jose were making our roads safer when they lost their lives on that fateful day in March 2024."

The Dali was leaving Baltimore bound for Sri Lanka when its steering failed because of the power loss. The National Transportation Safety Board found that two electrical blackouts — one caused by a loose wire on the vessel and another by problems with a fuel pump — disabled the ship's controls before it struck the bridge. An FBI investigation focused on the vessel's operations and whether the crew knew of critical systems issues before leaving port.

The collapse halted operations at the Port of Baltimore for two months. Maryland officials estimate it could cost between $4.3 billion and $5.2 billion to replace the bridge, which is expected to open to traffic in late 2030. The original 1.6-mile steel span took five years to build and opened in 1977.

In April, the State of Maryland reached a settlement in principle with Synergy Marine and Grace Ocean Private Limited, Attorney General Anthony Brown announced. The settlement does not resolve claims against shipbuilder Hyundai. Plaintiffs in separate litigation include the families of the six construction workers who died, cargo owners and local governments; that lawsuit alleged the crash was the result of negligence, mismanagement and the reckless operation of a vessel that was not seaworthy and should never have left port.