Dali chief engineer reaches deferred prosecution deal over Key Bridge collapse

The chief engineer of the cargo ship Dali, Karthikeyan Deenadayalan, has reached a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Justice Department in connection with the March 2024 collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge. The agreement means Deenadayalan will avoid prosecution if he adheres to its terms, which include 36 months of probation.

Deenadayalan admitted to knowingly and willfully failing to notify the U.S. Coast Guard about hazardous conditions aboard the vessel. Specifically, he was aware that the Dali used an unsafe fuel supply pump, which prosecutors allege contributed to the ship's power outages and subsequent collision with the bridge. The charges filed against him are related to violations of the Port and Waterways Safety Act.

This development marks the first criminal charge against a crew member aboard the Dali. Previously, a federal grand jury indicted two foreign operators and a shoreside superintendent in connection with the incident. The ship's operator, Synergy, and an employee have also faced charges for allegedly concealing dangerous conditions by falsifying inspection reports and evading safety requirements. Synergy has denied these allegations.

The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024, resulted in the deaths of six construction workers and caused significant disruption to the Port of Baltimore.