BALTIMORE — Federal prosecutors have indicted two shipping companies and a technical superintendent in connection with the 2024 collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, which killed six construction workers, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.
A federal grand jury returned the indictment against Singapore-based Synergy Marine Pte Ltd., its affiliate Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd. in India, and Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, 47, who served as the technical superintendent for the container ship Dali, authorities said Tuesday.
The charges, announced on May 12, 2026, stem from the March 26, 2024, incident in which the Dali lost power while departing the Port of Baltimore and struck a support pier of the bridge, causing it to collapse. The six victims were members of a road maintenance crew working on the bridge at the time.
Prosecutors charged the defendants with 18 counts, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, willfully failing to immediately notify the U.S. Coast Guard of a known hazardous condition, obstruction of an agency proceeding, false statements and misconduct of ship officers resulting in death.
The indictment alleges that the companies and Nair engaged in a pattern of concealing dangerous mechanical issues aboard the Dali, including problems with its electrical and fuel systems, and falsified safety inspections and certifications. It claims the defendants directed the fabrication of documents and misled investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and other agencies.
“The indictment reveals a pattern of deception and egregious violations that led to the unsafe operation of the Dali, which recklessly endangered the public and resulted in the ship striking the bridge,” said Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul of the FBI Baltimore Field Office.
The companies have not publicly commented on the specific charges. Civil settlements related to the incident have been reached separately, including a $2.25 billion agreement between the state of Maryland and parties connected to the vessel.
The collapse closed the busy shipping channel for months, disrupting port operations and commerce along the East Coast. Rebuilding efforts for the bridge are ongoing.
The defendants face potential fines and other penalties if convicted. Nair, an Indian national, is among those charged individually. Court proceedings are expected to continue in U.S. District Court in Maryland. Details of any arraignments or pleas were not immediately available.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
