FBI opens criminal probe into Baltimore bridge collapse

The investigation into the collapse will focus on whether the crew of the cargo vessel Dali left the port knowing the freighter had serious problems with its systems

The bridge – a major transit route into the city and port of Baltimore – was destroyed in seconds on March 26 when the Dali lost power and drifted into a support column

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Two men at Fort Armistead Park look at the twisted structure and road decking from the Francis Scott Key Bridge draped across the bow of the container ship Dali. Photo: TNS

Published: 9:02pm, 15 Apr 2024Updated: 10:25pm, 15 Apr 2024

The FBI has opened a federal criminal investigation into the deadly collapse of a Baltimore bridge last month when a ship crashed into one of its supports, the bureau said on Monday.

FBI agents had boarded the cargo ship Dali to conduct court-authorised law enforcement activity regarding the crash, a spokesperson told Reuters.

There is no other public information available, and the FBI will have no further comment, the spokesperson said.

In the early morning of March 26, the massive container ship lost power and crashed into a support pylon, sending the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsing into the Patapsco River and killing six people who were working on the span at the time of the crash.

The steel frame of the Francis Scott Key Bridge sits on top of a container ship after the bridge collapsed. Photo: AFP

The investigation into the collapse will focus in part on whether the crew of the cargo vessel Dali left the port knowing the freighter had serious problems with its systems, the Washington Post reported on Monday.

Safety investigators have recovered the ship’s “black box” recorder, which provides data on its position, speed, heading, radar, bridge audio and radio communications, as well as alarms.