US Justice Dept seeks $100m for Baltimore Key bridge collapse
Al Jazeera
US sues Singapore-based owner and operator of cargotanker that slammed into bridge in March, killing six.
The United States Department of Justice has sued the Singapore-based owner and operator of a cargo tanker that slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore earlier this year.
The lawsuit filed on Wednesday seeks $100m from Grace Ocean Private and Synergy Marine Private, the owner and operator of the vessel, which collided with the bridge in March following a power failure. The impact caused the bridge to collapse, killing six workers on the structure and blocking a major US port.
“With this civil claim, the Justice Department is working to ensure that the costs of clearing the channel and reopening the Port of Baltimore are borne by the companies that caused the crash, not by the American taxpayer,” US Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.
“The Justice Department is committed to ensuring accountability for those responsible for the destruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge,” he added.
Meanwhile, Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin Mizer said the collision was directly related to the companies’ negligence.
