To assist in freeing the ship known as the Dali, which collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers detonated a sequence of controlled explosives on May 13. Most people are unaware of the fact that the crew was and still is on board. Furthermore, they are unable to depart.
Two Singaporean maritime unions are advocating for the crew’s release. Additionally, they dispatched delegations to visit and inquire about the well-being of the 21-person crew, of which 20 are Indian and one is Sri Lankan.
The crew’s “emotional discomfort” is reportedly causing the two unions “great anxiety.”
The strange thing is that while the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the FBI were still looking into the disaster, they took the crew’s cell phones.
No, they are not entitled to shore leave. The investigations, combined with a purported lack of beach permits and visa restrictions, prevent them from departing.
On May 11, the unions jointly made a statement claiming that an “unfounded fear of criminal culpability” is the reason for the crew’s low morale.
The sailors’ freedom to depart is a mystery to all of us. The crew’s communication with the outside world has stopped.
Joshua Messick, a representative of the Baltimore International Seafarers’ Center, said, “They cannot perform any internet banking.” At home, they are unable to pay their expenses. They are currently extremely alone because they do not have access to any of their data or anyone else’s contact information.
Personally, I think the perfume aisle has a stink badger. Why would the FBI seize the crew’s phones and put them in custody? Do they believe that the staff is partially to blame? If so, does the crew have any rights? Why would the government take their phones?
The clip showing the ship colliding with the bridge is indeed odd. It almost appears as though the person operating the ship decided to intentionally crash the craft onto the bridge.
Does the crew’s incarceration aboard the ship while demolition charges are pending make sense legally? Why do they swipe their phones anyway? Do they have any suspicions?
When illegal immigrants flood the southern border, authorities “catch” them and assign court dates that are typically years away. Why is the Dali crew receiving different treatment? They are not foreign intruders. Their ship, which looks to have been the victim of a well-planned catastrophe, is carrying marine sailors. Do they have any suspicions? Or is there something worse that the FBI is concealing?
I realize I am starting to sound a lot like Nancy Grace, so I should probably get to bed. I will update you.
Author: Scott Dowdy