Indian engineer charged in deadly Baltimore bridge collapse

U.S. federal prosecutors have filed criminal charges against Indian engineer Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair and two shipping companies linked to the 2024 collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, one of the deadliest infrastructure disasters in recent American history. Authorities allege that the operators of the Singapore-flagged cargo ship Dali knowingly ignored serious electrical and mechanical problems before the vessel lost power and crashed into the bridge, killing six construction workers and causing billions of dollars in economic damage. Prosecutors claim the companies failed to report hazardous conditions, used improper backup systems and later obstructed federal investigations into the disaster. The indictment includes conspiracy, false statements, environmental violations and obstruction charges against Singapore-based Synergy Marine and Chennai-based Synergy Maritime. The bridge collapse temporarily shut down a major U.S. port, disrupted East Coast shipping operations and intensified global scrutiny over maritime safety standards and corporate accountability in large-scale industrial disasters.