June 22nd 2024.
After nearly three months on board the mammoth cargo ship, the eight Indian crew members of the MV Dali finally left for their home country on Friday. The vessel had made headlines in March when it crashed into the famous Baltimore bridge, causing its collapse and the tragic death of six construction workers.
According to the Baltimore Maritime Exchange, there were originally 21 crew members on board the 984-foot ship, but only four of them are still present as the vessel prepares to depart for Norfolk, Virginia. The rest of the crew has been relocated to a service apartment in Baltimore while an investigation is conducted into the incident.
It is worth noting that out of the 21 crew members, 20 were Indian nationals. They were working on the MV Dali Cargo, which collided with the pillars of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, resulting in its collapse. The eight crew members who have now left the ship include a cook, a fitter, and seamen, all of whom were approved to leave by the judge. The remaining 13 crew members will remain in the US until the investigations are completed.
Rev. Joshua Messick, director of the Baltimore International Seafarers' Center and chaplain for the Port of Baltimore, shared that the crew members were feeling anxious and stressed due to the uncertain future they were facing. They were unsure of when they would be able to see their families again or how they would be treated during their stay in the US.
Currently, none of the crew members have been charged in connection with the disaster. The investigation is being conducted by the FBI and other federal agencies. The incident, which took place on March 26, caused the 2.6km-long Francis Scott Key Bridge to come crashing down over the Patapsco River in Baltimore.
The MV Dali, owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd, was on its way from Baltimore to Colombo and has a capacity of 10,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units). It was carrying a total of 4,679 TEU on board and has a deadweight of 116,851 DWT (deadweight tonnage).
As the vessel prepares for repairs at Norfolk, the crew members are left to wait for the outcome of the investigations. Their future remains uncertain as they continue to be away from home and their loved ones.
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