Twelve weeks following the crash of the Dali cargo ship into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, the ship is slated to depart for repairs in Norfolk, Virginia with a diminished crew.
A court has permitted eight crew members to return home, however, all remaining officers will continue to reside in the U.S. due to the ongoing litigation surrounding the crash. Those who are staying will be relocated to hotels or apartments and will contribute to the ongoing investigation.
Lawyers for the City of Baltimore have been making efforts to prevent the containership Dali’s crew members from leaving the U.S. due to the ongoing legal proceedings related to the incident. The crew, hailing from India and Sri Lanka, have remained on the ship since the crash on March 26th which resulted in six fatalities.
The city legal team assert that the crew’s testimonies are essential for the ongoing civil litigation to ascertain who is responsible for the costs and damages resulting from the incident.
The civil litigation concerning the deadly disaster was launched by the ship’s owner and manager, Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine, two Singapore-based corporations, in an effort to limit their legal liability from the disaster. In response, the city of Baltimore filed a lawsuit against the two companies in April, alleging negligence in allowing the ship to depart from the Port of Baltimore despite being aware of its power issues.
A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Bureau on the disaster revealed that the ship had experienced two blackouts just hours before departing from the Seagirt Marine Terminal. The ship then lost electrical power and propulsion again as it approached the bridge, leading to the collision with the bridge, causing sections of it to collapse and obstructing the entrance to the Port of Baltimore.
The city is demanding a jury trial and requesting that the U.S. District Court of Maryland hold the ship’s owners fully accountable for the collapse of the bridge.
Currently, the Dali is docked at the Seagirt Marine Terminal, where it was relocated after being refloated on May 20th. However, its departure is tentatively set for Friday evening.
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