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The federal authorities has opened a felony investigation into what occurred earlier than a cargo ship crashed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge and capsized final month, in line with an individual acquainted with the investigation.
Federal Bureau of Investigation brokers early Monday boarded the Singapore-flagged container ship, which is idling on the Patapsco River, the bureau mentioned in an announcement.
“The FBI is current aboard the cargo ship Dali and is conducting court-authorized legislation enforcement exercise,” the FBI mentioned. “There isn’t any different public info obtainable and we won’t remark additional.”
On March 26, Dali misplaced energy and crashed into the bridge, killing six staff doing repairs and halting cargo visitors on the Port of Baltimore, the place shipments of coal, automobiles and different items have been disrupted. The container ship and the personnel on board have remained there ever since.
The felony investigation is inspecting what failures occurred on the ship, the circumstances that led to the accident and whether or not any federal legal guidelines have been damaged, in line with the particular person acquainted with the matter, who spoke on situation of anonymity to debate the knowledge. However mentioned. Not public.
Attorneys representing the Singapore-based shipowner, Grace Ocean Pte Ltd, filed a petition earlier this month collectively with Synergy Marine Pte Ltd, which was working the ship. They declare that the bridge collapse was not as a result of “any fault, negligence or lack of care” on the a part of the businesses and that they shouldn’t be held responsible for any loss or harm from the catastrophe.
But when they’re held liable, it shouldn’t exceed the present worth of the ship and its cargo, which has fallen from $90 million to $43,670,000, in line with a federal court docket submitting in Maryland.
Attorneys didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark concerning the FBI investigation.
The investigation was first reported by the Washington Submit.
Jennifer Homendy, chair of the US Nationwide Transportation Security Board, mentioned on April 10 that federal investigators trying into what induced the crash have been trying into the ship's electrical system. The Security Board is continuous to analyze and confirm knowledge on the ship's digital energy system and circuit breakers. she mentioned in testimony earlier than a Senate panel.
Ereck Barron, the U.S. lawyer for Maryland, mentioned his workplace intends to carry these liable for wrongdoing accountable.
“My workplace usually won’t affirm the existence of an investigation or in any other case remark,” Barron mentioned in an announcement. “Nevertheless, the general public ought to know, whether or not it’s gun violence, civil rights abuses, monetary fraud, or another menace to public security or property, we are going to demand accountability for anybody accountable.”