Collapsed bridge in Baltimore: FBI opens criminal investigation

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) opened an investigation following the collapse of a bridge at the end of March in the city of Baltimore in the eastern United States, after it was struck by a container ship, according to what American media reported on Monday.

• Read also: [EN PHOTOS] A huge crane in Baltimore removes rubble from the collapsed bridge

• Read also: Two bodies were found under the rubble of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore

• Read also: A distressed cargo ship destroys a bridge in Baltimore

In an email to AFP, the FBI confirmed that it was “on board the freighter Daly” to conduct “forensic police operations,” without providing further details or confirming the opening of an investigation, the Washington Post reported.

At the end of March, this 300-meter-long container ship collided with a pile of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, on the US East Coast, in the middle of the night, causing it to collapse.

The bodies of two workers who were working on the bridge to repair the road were recovered, while four others are still missing and considered dead.

The Washington Post specified that this “criminal investigation” aims to determine, “at least in part,” whether the crew left the ship knowing the ship was suffering from serious mechanical problems, according to two anonymous US officials.

The Singapore-flagged Daly departed from the port of Baltimore on a 27-day voyage to the port of Colombo (Sri Lanka).

After notifying the authorities of a loss of power due to propulsion problems, the ship collided with 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 the rubble of the bridge, obstructing part of the maritime traffic in one of the busiest ports in the country.

A temporary shipping lane was opened to allow the passage of ships participating in rescue and disinfection operations.