Federal agents recently boarded a ship operated by Synergy Marine Group, the company connected to the cargo ship involved in the tragic Baltimore bridge collapse back in March, as confirmed by the FBI.
On Saturday, both the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Maryland confirmed that the Maersk Saltoro was subject to inspection, although they did not share specific details about the operation.
According to their statements, “The Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division, and Coast Guard Investigative Services are currently conducting authorized law enforcement activities aboard the Maersk Saltoro.”
This week, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit regarding the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, labeling the incident as “entirely avoidable” and requesting $100 million for cleanup expenses.
The bridge fell on March 26 after a cargo ship lost propulsion and struck it, leading to the deaths of six maintenance workers. Recovery efforts took six weeks, and an investigation by the FBI and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is ongoing.
Fortunately, the crew of the cargo ship Dali escaped the collapse uninjured.
Federal officials have indicated that the disaster could have been averted, and they are seeking $100 million from Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and Synergy Marine Group, both based in Singapore, for cleanup costs.
Darrell Wilson, a spokesperson for Grace Ocean, confirmed the agents’ presence aboard the Maersk Saltoro in the Baltimore port on Saturday morning, stating that the ship’s management is ready to “set the record straight” in court.
This is a developing news story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
This article is based on reporting from The Associated Press.
