Federal agents have boarded a vessel run by the same company that operated the cargo ship that caused the deadly Baltimore bridge collapse, the FBI has confirmed.
In a statement Saturday, spokespeople for the FBI and Maryland attorney general’s office confirmed that authorities boarded the Maersk Saltoro. The ship is managed by Synergy Marine Group.
“The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division and Coast Guard Investigative Services are present on board the Maersk Saltoro conducting court-authorized law enforcement activities,” read statements from the FBI and the U.S. attorney general’s office.
Authorities did not provide further details.
In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, the U.S. Justice Department alleges that the company that owns the Dali, Grace Ocean Private Ltd., and its management company Synergy Marine Group, both of Singapore, recklessly took shortcuts and overlooked electrical problems with the vessel, which lost power moments before it crashed into a support column of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March.
The Justice Department is seeking to recover more than $100 million the government spent to remove underwater debris and reopen the city’s port.
Grace Ocean spokesman Darrell Wilson confirmed that the FBI and Coast Guard boarded the Maersk Saltoro in the Port of Baltimore early Saturday morning.
Wilson previously said the owner and management company were “seeking to appear in court to clear the air,” referring to the Justice Department lawsuit.
Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channels YouTube, WhatsApp and to newsletter. Turn on notifications and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Add Comment