Governor blames freighter Dali for Key Bridge collapse

Governor Wes Moore responded to a recent National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report that criticized Maryland's handling of safety measures regarding the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The report indicated that the state could have done more to prevent the bridge from collapsing after being struck by a ship. Moore placed the blame on the ship, the Dali, and its operators. He described their actions as "reckless" and said they were solely responsible for the incident. He made these remarks during an appearance on Fox News Sunday. The NTSB report highlighted that Maryland did not conduct a required risk study, which would have shown that the likelihood of a collision causing the bridge to collapse was significantly higher than normal. The report also noted that the state failed to conduct similar assessments for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. In defense of the Key Bridge, Moore stated that it had passed federal assessments for over 30 years. He emphasized that the size and speed of the Dali were key factors in the disaster, suggesting that no bridge could withstand such an impact. The company operating the Dali, Synergy Marine Group, did not respond to the specifics of the NTSB report but expressed sympathy for those affected by the incident. State authorities are seeking damages from the ship's owners, claiming negligence. The collapse, which occurred nearly a year ago, resulted in six fatalities and significant economic disruption in Maryland. Moore noted that the state had invested over $170 million in bridge safety over the past decade and had since allocated an additional $160 million for the protection of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. He assured that Maryland would continue to cooperate with the NTSB and acknowledged that their findings served as a call to action for lawmakers at the national level to address safety issues affecting various bridges across the country.