The U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the owner and manager of the cargo ship responsible for the collapse of the Baltimore Bridge. They are seeking more than $100,000,000 that the federal government has spent to clean up the underwater debris, and reopen Baltimore’s port.
The lawsuit filed in Maryland claims that the electrical and mechanical system on the ship Dali was improperly maintained. This caused it to lose power, and then veer off-course before hitting a support column at the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
The lawsuit claims that “this tragedy was completely avoidable.”
The collapse of the port of Baltimore slowed down commercial shipping for several months before the channel opened fully in June.
In a written statement, Attorney General Merrick G. Garland stated that “the Justice Department will ensure that the costs of clearing and reopening Port of Baltimore is borne by companies who caused the crash” rather than by American taxpayers.
Cases were filed against Grace Ocean Private Ltd., the owner of Dali, and Synergy Group Management Ltd. both from Singapore. Days after the collapse, the companies filed a petition in court to limit their liability. This could be the most expensive maritime casualty in history.
A power outage caused the ship’s steering to fail as it was departing Baltimore for Sri Lanka. The collapse killed six members of the road crew working on the bridge. The men were filling potholes in the bridge deck during an overnight shift when the bridge suddenly collapsed under them and sent them into the water.
The accident occurred because Grace Ocean and Synergy made careless and grossly negligent decisions. They chose to send a vessel that was not seaworthy to navigate an important waterway, and they ignored the risks to American lives and infrastructure.
The families of the victims announced their intention to file a lawsuit on Tuesday to hold the ship owner and manager responsible for the catastrophe. Other interested parties have also filed claims against the companies, accusing them of negligence.
Families are calling for stronger workplace protections for immigrants. All of the victims are Latino immigrants, who arrived in the United States to find better jobs and more opportunities.
