Baltimore Bridge Crew Still Detained Two Years After Fatal Collapse
Nearly two years after the catastrophic collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, four senior crew members from the cargo ship MV Dali remain detained in the United States without facing any criminal charges. The vessel's collision with the bridge on 26 March 2024 resulted in the tragic deaths of six construction workers who were on the structure at the time.
Ongoing Detention Without Charges
According to multiple maritime industry sources speaking anonymously, the four most senior officers from the Singapore-flagged container ship have been required to stay in Baltimore throughout the ongoing investigation. The detained crew members include the captain, chief engineer, chief electrician, and second officer, all hailing from India and Sri Lanka.
"These men don't know when they are going to see their families again," revealed one source familiar with their situation. "They're stuck here with no light at the end of the tunnel. They don't know if they'll ever be hired again. It's sad and it's scary. They're just sitting on their hands right now."
Authorities have confiscated the crew members' passports to restrict their travel, though they are permitted to move freely within Baltimore. Any travel to other US states requires explicit permission from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Investigation Findings and Systemic Issues
The National Transportation Safety Board published its official report in November 2024, concluding that the collision resulted from a loss of electrical power caused by a loose signal wire in the vessel's electrical system. The board attributed this to improper installation of the wire and noted that insufficient countermeasures to reduce the bridge's vulnerability contributed to the catastrophic collapse.
Significantly, the NTSB report did not assign individual fault to any crew members, instead highlighting broader systemic issues in the vessel's configuration and safety systems. The Maryland Transportation Authority, however, issued a statement asserting that "the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and the tragic loss of life were the sole fault of the Dali and the gross negligence of its owners and operators."
Legal Proceedings and Human Impact
While four additional crew members were permitted to return home in late November 2024 under the condition they return to the US the following month, the senior officers remain in Baltimore. Some have not seen their children in nearly two years, creating significant personal hardship for the detained seafarers.
Barbara Shipley, an inspector with the International Transport Workers' Federation, expressed concern about the prolonged detention. "With the final report of the NTSB now released, it is clear these men acted to the best of their ability to avoid the collision," she stated. "It is our hope that they are exonerated and repatriated as soon as possible."
Corporate Responsibility and Legal Landscape
Synergy Marine Group, the company that operated the vessel at the time of the incident, continues to pay for the crew members' accommodation and salaries during their detention in the United States. In October 2024, Grace Ocean Private Ltd and Synergy Marine Group agreed to pay $101.98 million to settle a civil claim brought by US authorities to recover federal response and cleanup costs, though this settlement did not require admission of liability.
Separate legal proceedings are scheduled to begin on 1 June 2026 to determine whether the companies are entitled to limit liability under federal maritime law. Meanwhile, the city of Baltimore, the state of Maryland, multiple businesses, cargo owners, and the families of the deceased workers have all filed lawsuits seeking damages related to the incident.
Federal prosecutors have not announced any criminal charges related to the bridge collapse, and legal experts anticipate that the various proceedings could continue for several years. The prolonged detention of the crew members without charges represents an unusual situation in maritime incident investigations, according to industry sources who note the exceptional nature of this ongoing case.
