Baltimore seeks to keep Dali crew from leaving US after bridge collapse
In a petition sent to a judge on Tuesday, the city argues that allowing the foreign crew of the Dali to leave the country could interfere with two investigations being led by the FBI and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The sailors, who are from India and Sri Lanka, have been trapped aboard the ship since it hit the bridge on 26 March, killing six construction workers on the bridge.
According to court documents, the city learned on Tuesday from the ship's owners that eight of the sailors were planning to leave the US as early as Thursday.
Lawyers for the city and another party filing suit against the ship owners are asking the judge to convene an emergency hearing to decide the issue.
“The crew consists entirely of foreign nationals who, of course, have critical knowledge and information about the events giving rise to this litigation,” wrote Adam Levitt, a lawyer for the city of Baltimore.
Jesus these people have families. Figure it out and let them leave or don’t figure it out but let them leave.
You aren’t going to get new information from them by now.
Yeah but even if they leave they aren't going to be with their families. They work on ships, they're gone for years at a time anyway.
Bad faith argument.
We can imprison people indefinitely. They aren’t going to be responsible anyways. If anything it’s the local government’s responsibility. They should have protected critical infrastructure. Maybe vessels capable of causing catastrophic damage should be escorted by tug boats.
It's the fault of the company and the captain, not the crew. The deckhands don't have any control over the engines or electrical systems, nor do they decide to leave port with an unreliable ship.
Most of the crew should be released if everyone is done questioning them, with the exception of at least the captain. But it's not like detaining them is some huge hardship, because they should be getting paid on the ship either way, just like every other day.
Imagine signing up to work on a boat and then being held hostage in a foreign country for months because the captain fucked up.
Or because the owners were too cheap to maintain the ship
Is that for sure what happened? IIRC there was speculation about mechanical failure (lights we not out on ship, large plume of smoke...).
Though perhaps that doesn't really matter as far as how much it sucks for the crew.
Maybe. What matters is that most of the crew had no involvement in what happened.
They are material witnesses.
And the FBI, etc had 2.5 months to interview them ... which was done.
They should be allowed to go home.
But these are the city and another party. Civil liability etc. separate investigations that come after the FBI.
So yeah, it really sucks for these guys. And the judge should put a clock on the time the city and other parties have, so these guys can go home asap.
It wasn't the captain, at least not their captain. Apparently Baltimore has their own crew navigate the portion where the bridge collapse. The crash happened because of poor ship maintenance. So honestly, I bet a lot of people can relate.
This crew was confined to the Dali for 2.5 months. Let them go home to their families already.
There is a middle ground between these two extremes. I don't see why they can't be housed on shore. Give them a temporary visa or somesuch.
Surely the majority of them are not suspects but witnesses. Why imprison them, even if it's on land?
A material witness can be prevented from leaving the country.
Note also that I said housed, not imprisoned.
How long were they at sea before the accident? Then 2.5 months confined to the ship. Some of them want to go home.
Nevermind the fact it's not the FBI who want them to stay. It's Baltimore 'speaking' for the FBI ... which is a load of crap. They have every right to leave so let them go.
Keep them in the country? Fine.
Keep them confined to the boat? Well if it’s ok for them to leave the boat to go home, then it’s ok for them to leave the boat and stay in a hotel.
Keep them in the country until the investigation no longer needs them, but get them off the boat
The FBI and the US Coast Guard already cleared them to leave. The city wants them to stay.
The fbi has but that’s for the criminal side. There’s still the civil side. There are potentially a LOT of claimants. That’s where the city is objecting at.
At least that’s my understanding of the article
I didn't realize that being party to a civil suit meant being indefinitely detained in a foreign country. /s
Surely you wouldn't expect the US to allow civilian sailors from a domestic ship to be detained in another country with no timeline for repatriation. There would be something done.
Many people have no trouble attending virtual depositions or flying to attend trial. Indefinite detention (again, for a civil suit) is a pretty big ask just so some insurance/city investigators and lawyers can have in-person access.
They are off the boat. Some want to go home.
I'm actually surprised Grace Ocean hasn't found a way to spirit them off the boat and out of the country yet.
They cheaped-out on boat maintenance, why would they give a shit about these people?
They don't want them to talk, I assume.
If they're not allowed to go home, they should at least be allowed off the ship! Let them roam around the city, visit the parks, go to the library, anything other than staying on the ship. That's imprisonment without a trial.
Last I heard they did not have reliable access to their phones and internet, which is critical for stranded sailors.