Ship operators involved in Baltimore bridge collapse charged with misconduct and obstruction

The Justice Department brought 18 charges against the operators and a manager relating to the 2024 accident at the Francis Scott Key Bridge that killed six people.

BALTIMORE — The Justice Department announced 18 charges Tuesday against the operators of the 100,000-plus-ton cargo ship that crashed into a Maryland bridge more than two years ago, causing it to collapse and killing six people.

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Federal prosecutors said they were charging the international companies Synergy Marine Pte Ltd. and Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd., as well as the ship’s technical superintendent, Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair. The charges included conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and misconduct or neglect of ship officers that resulted in death.

The steel frame of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge sits on top of a container ship in Baltimore on March 26, 2024.Jim Watson / AFP - Getty Images fileThe two companies and Nair were also charged with willfully failing to immediately inform the Coast Guard about a known hazardous condition, obstruction of an agency proceeding and making false statements, according to a statement announcing the charges.