As I posted previously, the NTSB traced the ultimate cause to a wiring problem. But now the legal wrangling is getting more interesting.
First, the State of Maryland has reached a $2.25 billion settlement with the owners and operators of the ship. The defendants were attempting to use existing maritime law (this one enacted in 1851) to cap its exposure at around $44 million - essentially, the value of the ship. Maritime law is different. Story here.
Also, the U.S. Department of Justice has announce the indictment of the owner/operators as entities and the technical superintendent as an individual for " conspiracy to defraud the United States, obstruction, false statements, and failing to immediately notify the U.S. Coast Guard of a known hazardous condition aboard the containership Dali." The allegations state that the ship was knowingly operated with unsafe modifications. Although the wiring issue cited by the NTSB is recognized as the primary cause, the charges state that backup systems had been modified in ways that undermined critical redundancies. Story here.
Lots more to come on this. The replacement bridge won't open until 2030 at the earliest.
I saw an indictment article maybe yesterday regarding the ship captain and someone else. And btw I looked for your old thread but it was archived. Glad to hear they are making headway.
btw, who pays for all these court costs?
quote:
Originally posted by chuckv97btw, who pays for all these court costs?
That depends on the action - whether it's civil or criminal. In the US, criminal costs related to investigations, prosecutions and court time are picked up by taxpayers; defense is paid for by the defendants. In civil actions an allocated percentage of settlement or judgment total can be directed towards plaintiff costs. Actual court expenses are generally taxpayer funded. Defendants are on the hook for their defense costs, although that's usually a component of their liability insurance limits.
The fact that this is a maritime incident adds wrinkles I don't fully understand.
As I have noted before, I wouldn't be surprised to see actions brought against the State of Maryland and the Port of Baltimore on a variety of grounds, including but not limited to bridge design and harbor procedures.
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