Nearly two months have passed since the cargo ship known as the Dali crashed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, killing six construction workers, but the heavily damaged ship’s crew have remained onboard since then, passing time by clearing wreckage and at one point sheltering from a controlled demolition.
The ship was refloated Monday. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The ship’s crew, which is not able to leave the ship because of visa restrictions, consists of 21 people—20 of whom are from India and 1 of whom is from Sri Lanka.
The crew is also stuck aboard the ship because the members do not have required shore passes and are participating in investigations conducted by the FBI and National Transportation Safety Board, which resulted in crew members' phones being seized in April—though they have been given new ones, William Marks, a spokesperson for the crew, told Forbes.
Although the crew’s phones have been replaced, there are still concerns over the fact the new devices lack personal information on the original phones such as contacts, banking apps and more, according to the multiple outlets, one of which noted some crew members are worried they will be held liable for the ship’s collision with the bridge.
In addition to assisting the investigation, crew members have passed the time by maintaining the ship and assisting in salvage operations, Marks said, adding that two new crew members recently boarded to “help with all the work and let some of the existing crew have a break.”
A controlled demolition of the bridge portion atop the ship was conducted last week, sending parts of the structure into the water while crew members gathered in a designated area on the ship for their safety.
In addition to regular deliveries of pre-prepared Indian food being delivered to the crew in order to help the Dali’s cook, according to Marks, the Dali’s pre-existing food supply is sufficient enough to support the crew members, who were prepared for a more than 8,800-mile voyage to Sri Lanka before the ship collided with the bridge.
The Dali was refloated and brought to port Monday, though the development does not mean the crew, who must continue to maintain the ship, will be able to disembark.
The FBI declined to comment on its investigation and the release of the crew from the ship.
Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here.
It is unclear when the crew will be able to disembark from the Dali. However, Marks told Forbes the Synergy Marine Group, the management company of the ship, is working with authorities to try and secure shore leave for the crew, which will remain on board for the “foreseeable future.”
The Dali is a 984-foot-long ship weighing 95,000 tons when empty. If stood upright, the ship would be nearly as tall as the Eiffel Tower. The Dali experienced two blackouts before it crashed into the bridge, with the latter outage occurring just 0.2 miles away from the bridge, according to an NTSB preliminary report, which noted a member aboard the Dali was injured in the incident. The ship’s crew sounded a mayday alert before the collision, allowing police officers to stop traffic to the bridge. However, six construction workers on top of the bridge during its collapse were killed. The final victim’s body was recovered more than a month later.
Cargo Ship That Struck Baltimore Bridge Had 2 Blackouts Day Before Incident, Report Says (Forbes)
Critical Part Of Collapsed Baltimore Bridge Destroyed In Controlled Demolition (Photos) (Forbes)