A crew member of a cargo ship involved in a tragic bridge collapse in 2024 has found himself unable to return to the United States after a trip to India. Karthikeyan Deenadayalan, who served as the chief engineer on the ship Dali, is currently facing federal charges related to the incident, which resulted in the deaths of six construction workers. As a condition of his case, he must remain in the Baltimore area.
According to reports, Deenadayalan was granted permission to travel back to India with the understanding that he would return by Monday. However, upon attempting to board his flight on Sunday, he was informed by airport officials that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had barred him from re-entering the country.
Deenadayalan is charged with violating safety regulations under the Port and Waterways Safety Act. Prosecutors allege that he failed to inform the U.S. Coast Guard about unsafe conditions on the ship, ultimately leading to the Dali losing power and colliding with the Francis Scott Key Bridge. This accident caused the bridge’s collapse, tragically resulting in the loss of six lives as the workers fell into the Patapsco River.
The collapse had significant implications, halting shipping traffic in and out of the Port of Baltimore for several weeks and impacting local businesses. Reports indicate that Deenadayalan and prosecutors had reached a deferred prosecution agreement, which could allow him to avoid a criminal conviction if he meets specific requirements.
Recently, Deenadayalan was preparing to return to Baltimore with an important document from the U.S. government but was denied boarding by Emirates Airlines. His attorney, John Connolly, explained in a letter that Emirates staff were instructed by CBP via email to prevent Deenadayalan from flying until he presented himself to the U.S. Consulate.
Connolly noted that the consulate was closed, and despite efforts to persuade Emirates to allow Deenadayalan to board his flight, their attempts were unsuccessful. Following this, Deenadayalan reported the situation to Pretrial Services. It remains unclear whether he is still in India or has returned to Maryland.
Efforts to reach comment from U.S. Customs and Border Protection as well as the Department of Justice have so far been unsuccessful.
