Image Credits: Wikipedia The U.S. Justice Department has indicted two foreign ship management companies and an Indian technical superintendent over the March 2024 collision involving the containership Dali that destroyed Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge and killed six construction workers. A federal grand jury charged Singapore-based Synergy Marine Pte Ltd, Chennai-based Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd, and Indian national Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair with conspiracy, obstruction of an agency proceeding, false statements, and failing to immediately inform the U.S. Coast Guard about a known hazardous condition aboard the vessel. According to the indictment, the 984-foot Singapore-flagged containership Dali lost power twice within four minutes while departing the Port of Baltimore on 26 March 2024 before crashing into the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The bridge collapse killed six construction workers and caused extensive economic and environmental damage. The Justice Department said the total losses from the incident reached at least $5 billion. Separately, Maryland State Attorney General Anthony Brown announced that the state reached a final $2.25 billion settlement with Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine ahead of a scheduled 1 June trial. However, Maryland’s claims against shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries remain unresolved. Federal prosecutors said a loose wire in a high-voltage switchboard likely caused the first blackout on the vessel. The indictment alleged that the defendants relied on a flushing pump to supply fuel to two of the Dali’s four generators. However, investigators said the flushing pump was not designed to automatically restart after a blackout. According to prosecutors, the generators could not continue operating without fuel supply, leading to a second blackout and loss of propulsion and steering. The indictment further alleged that if the vessel had been using proper fuel supply pumps, the Dali would have regained power in time to safely