The FBI opened a criminal investigation into the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse that claimed the lives of six men.
The investigation will assess whether the crew left the Port of Baltimore knowing the vessel had systems problems, according to The Washington Post.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, the FBI said it is “present aboard the cargo ship Dali conducting court-authorized law enforcement activity,” adding, “There is no other public information available, and we will have no further comment.”
U.S. Attorney for Maryland Erek Barron said that while his office “generally will not confirm the existence of or otherwise comment about investigations,” the “public should know, whether it’s gun violence, civil rights abuse, financial fraud, or any other threat to public safety or property, we will seek accountability for anyone who may be responsible.”
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott separately announced that the city has partnered with the “national complex issues and trial firm DiCello Levitt and Philadelphia law firm Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky Trial Lawyers to launch legal action to hold the wrongdoers responsible and to mitigate the immediate and long-term harm caused to Baltimore City residents,” according to a press release. “Through this engagement, the City of Baltimore will take decisive action to hold responsible all entities accountable for the Key Bridge tragedy, including the owner, charterer, manager/operator, and the manufacturer of the M/V Dali, as well as any other potentially liable third parties.”
American Faith reported that Baltimore Governor Wes Moore (D) said the ship was traveling at a rapid speed of about eight knots before it lost power in the moments before it struck the bridge on March 26.
Moore said that the ship made a mayday call just ahead of the accident and crew aboard the ship told authorities they lost power moments beforehand.
The same ship that ran into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge was also involved in an accident in Belgium in 2016.
“The Antwerp port authorities said the container ship Dali hit a quay on July 11, 2016, as it tried to exit the North Sea container terminal,” Reuters reported.
Data published on Equasis, a public database for the shipping industry, revealed that a 2016 inspection of the vessel conducted in Antwerp found it had a structural issue, which was described as “hull damage impairing its seaworthiness.”
