Baltimore Bridge Collapse: US Seeks $100 Million In Damages From Ship Owner

The United States Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit seeking more than $100 million from the owner and operator of the container ship that destroyed Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in March. The US administration alleged that the companies were "well aware" of the issues with the Dali before it lost power and crashed into the bridge. Six construction workers were killed in the incident.

The Justice Department mentioned in its statement that the suit seeks to recover over $100 million in costs the country incurred in responding to the disaster and for clearing the entangled wreck and bridge debris from the navigable channel so the port could reopen. “The owner and operator of the DALI were well aware of vibration issues on the vessel that could cause a power outage. But instead of taking necessary precautions, they did the opposite,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. Meanwhile, the head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division said that it was an "entirely avoidable catastrophe."

The National Transportation Safety Board said in its preliminary report that the cargo ship Dali that crashed into bridge on March 26 had a pair of catastrophic electrical failures minutes before the crash. Twenty members of the crew were stuck on the ship for days as it remained entangled by tonnes of concrete and steel from the wreck. The incident is considered the most expensive marine casualty case in the history of the United States.