Key Bridge Collapse Probe: Cargo Ship Engineer Admits to Federal Safety Violation
Deenadayalan admitted failing to report a hazardous fuel pump condition, and prosecutors said the deal could spare him charges if he cooperates for three years.
- On Thursday, Dali chief engineer Karthikeyan Deenadayalan, 46, entered a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Justice Department over the March 2024 Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse that killed six construction workers.
- Federal prosecutors allege Deenadayalan willfully failed to report a high-risk fuel flushing pump lacking a vital backup system on the Dali, a hazardous condition that caused the vessel to lose power and strike the bridge.
- Court records detail how technical superintendent Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair directed Deenadayalan to send a "convincing" email to the charterer, concealing fuel consumption data to hide the risky pump's use.
- If Deenadayalan complies with federal conditions and testifies against Nair, prosecutors will drop charges in three years; if he violates terms, he faces six years in federal prison if convicted.
- While this deal pauses Deenadayalan's prosecution, the broader federal case continues against Synergy Marine Pte Ltd and Nair, with trial scheduled for October 2027 following a $2.25 billion settlement resolving civil claims.
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31 Articles
Rutland Herald
Cargo ship's chief engineer charged in 2024 Francis Scott Key bridge collapse in Baltimore
BALTIMORE (AP) — Prosecutors have filed a criminal charge against the chief engineer of a cargo ship involved in the deadly 2024 collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, accusing him of failing to notify the U.S. Coast Guard of…
Cargo ship’s chief engineer charged in 2024 Francis Scott Key bridge collapse in Baltimore
BALTIMORE (AP) — Prosecutors have filed a criminal charge against the chief engineer of a cargo ship involved in the deadly 2024 collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, accusing him of failing to notify the U.S. Coast Guard of hazardous conditions on the ship. Karthikeyan Deenadayalan was charged in U.S. District Court in Maryland on Monday with one count of violating the federal Port and Waterways Safety Act. Deenadayalan’s attorneys …
Dali chief engineer admits criminal violation in Key Bridge collapse
After federal prosecutors filed a charge against the chief engineer of the Dali, Karthikeyan Deenadayalan, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced that Deenadayalan and prosecutors entered into a deferred prosecution agreement.
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