The FBI has opened a criminal investigation into the container ship that slammed into and brought down the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last month, two senior law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation confirm to NBC News.
Federal agents boarded the 985-foot Dali early Monday morning armed with search warrants.
An FBI spokesperson in Baltimore said in a statement: “The FBI is present aboard the cargo ship Dali conducting court authorized law enforcement activity.”
Sources say the investigation is reviewing the events leading up to when the ship left the port and that a portion of the inquiry involves whether there was any prior knowledge by the crew that the ship had potential mechanical problems which would make it unsafe in the harbor.
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They also say FBI agents are collecting physical evidence and data from inside the ship relating to the moments before, during and after the impact.
The news was first reported by The Washington Post.
Also on Monday, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announced a partnership with two law firms to “launch legal action to hold the wrongdoers responsible” and mitigate harm to city residents.
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Monday's statement from Baltimore said the city “will take decisive action to hold responsible all entities accountable for the Key Bridge tragedy, including the owner, charterer, manager/operator, and the manufacturer of the M/V Dali, as well as any other potentially liable third parties.”
“We are continuing to do everything in our power to support everyone impacted here and will continue to recognize the human impact this event has had,” Scott said in a statement. “Part of that work needs to be seeking recourse from those who may potentially be responsible, and with the ship’s owner filing a petition to limit its liability mere days after the incident, we need to act equally as quickly to protect the City’s interests.”
The Dali is managed by Synergy Marine Group and owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd., both of Singapore. Danish shipping giant Maersk chartered the Dali.
“Due to the magnitude of the incident, there are various government agencies conducting investigations, in which we are fully participating," Synergy Marine spokesperson Darrell Wilson said in a statement Monday. “Out of respect for these investigations and any future legal proceedings, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”
