The FBI has opened an investigation following the collapse of a bridge at the end of March in Baltimore, in the eastern United States, hit by a container ship, according to American media on Monday.
In an e-mail to AFP, the FBI assured that it was "on board the cargo ship Dali" to carry out "judicial police operations", without giving more details or confirming the opening of an investigation, it reported. by the Washington Post.
A “criminal investigation”
At the end of March, this 300 m long container ship crashed into a pile of the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore, on the American east coast, in the middle of the night, causing it to collapse. The bodies of two workers who were working on the bridge repairing the roadway were recovered, with four others still missing and considered dead.
The Washington Post specified that this “criminal investigation” aimed to determine, “at least in part”, whether the crew had cast off knowing that the ship had serious mechanical problems, according to two anonymous American officials.
The boat still stuck in place
The Dali, flying the Singaporean flag, left the port of Baltimore for a 27-day crossing to the port of Colombo (Sri Lanka). After informing authorities of a loss of power due to propulsion problems, the ship struck the bridge.
During a trip to Baltimore in early April, US President Joe Biden promised to “move heaven and earth” to rebuild the bridge.
The boat is still stuck in place, under debris from the bridge, blocking part of maritime transport in one of the busiest ports in the country. A temporary navigation corridor was opened to allow the passage of vessels involved in rescue and clearance operations.