The FBI has initiated a criminal inquiry into the colossal container ship that caused the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last month. On Monday morning, federal agents executed search warrants, boarding the 985-foot Dali, which lost power while departing from the Port of Baltimore and collided with one of the bridge's support pillars on March 26. The Baltimore FBI later confirmed that agents were conducting "court-authorized law enforcement activity" on board the ship flagged from Singapore.
In part, the investigation will examine whether the ship's crew departed the port despite knowing about serious system issues, as disclosed by two U.S. officials familiar with the matter to the Washington Post. According to one of the officials, federal authorities are reexamining the events surrounding the incident, gathering physical evidence and data from inside the ship concerning the moments leading up to, during, and after the impact to determine whether the crew had prior knowledge of potential mechanical problems.
The officials, who spoke under the condition of anonymity due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, said that the U.S. attorney's office in Maryland is overseeing the investigation.
The pre-dawn collision caused the Key Bridge to collapse, resulting in the deaths of six construction workers who fell into the water while two others survived. The incident prompted a criminal investigation distinct from the National Transportation Safety Board's probe aimed at determining the crash's cause and evaluating safety measures.
Requests for comment from the U.S. attorney's office in Maryland and the Justice Department have gone unanswered thus far. The ship's owner, operator, and their legal representatives also did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Both President Joe Biden and Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) have expressed intentions to hold accountable any entities found potentially liable for the bridge's destruction.
On Friday, Governor Moore addressed the damages to the community by announcing additional assistance for businesses and workers reliant on the Port of Baltimore, including grants of up to $200,000. Additionally, Gov. Moore unveiled a new website that provides resources related to the disaster.
Maryland's Congressional delegation also took action by introducing legislation that would require the federal government to cover all costs associated with replacing the bridge.
During remarks on the House floor, Democrat Rep. Kweisi Mfume echoed promises made by Biden during his visit to Baltimore's shuttered harbor.
Biden vowed:
to have the federal government cover the cost of the of the building of this entire bridge, all of it. All of it.
Rep. Mfume said:
This bill is a step toward accomplishing everything we said we would do one hundred percent of the way plain and simple.
Earlier this month, the House Freedom Caucus outlined their official position on federal funding for the bridge's rebuilding. They called for waiving union "project labor agreements" and certain environmental regulations to prevent delays and reduce costs. Additionally, they insisted that funding for the bridge must be fully offset and that the Baltimore port should first utilize existing federal funds. The right-wing caucus demanded that discussions about supplemental funding for the bridge would only begin if the Biden administration lifted its pause on approvals for liquified natural gas (LNG) export projects.
On Friday, the House of Representatives also took a moment to honor the victims of the tragedy. Three bodies remain unrecovered from the water.
This remains a developing story, and updates will follow.
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Bridge in Troubled Waters: Federal Funding Fight a Chasm Between Biden's Big Labor, Freedom Caucus
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