The FBI has opened a criminal investigation focusing on the massive container ship that brought down the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last month, a probe that will look in part at whether the crew left the port knowing the vessel had serious systems problems, reports the Washington Post. Authorities are reviewing the events leading up to the moment when the Dali, a 985-foot Singapore-flagged ship, lost power while leaving the Port of Baltimore and slammed into one of the bridge’s support pillars. On Monday morning, federal agents appeared to board the ship to conduct a search. Less than an hour after the sun rose at 6:30 a.m., a succession of three boats pulled to the port side of the Dali. About 6:50 a.m. Monday, people wearing yellow or orange life jackets entered the Dali through a lower door and climbed a ladder to the ship’s bow. About a half-hour later, nearly a dozen more people wearing dark clothing pulled up in a smaller boat and climbed aboard. The FBI confirmed that its agents were on the ship.
“The FBI is present aboard the cargo ship Dali conducting court authorized law enforcement activity,” the agency said. “My office generally will not confirm the existence of or otherwise comment about investigations,” said U.S. Attorney Erek Barron. “However, the public should know, whether it’s gun violence, civil rights abuse, financial fraud, or any other threat to public safety or property, we will seek accountability for anyone who may be responsible.” The pre-dawn crash March 26 crumpled the Key Bridge, where eight people were working to repair concrete and fill potholes. Six members of the repair crew fell into the water and died. Two survived. The criminal investigation is separate from the probe the National Transportation Safety Board has launched to determine the cause of the crash and assess other safety-related measures.