The Department of Justice requested 100 million dollars in a lawsuit against the two companies that operated the container ship that destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore in March of this year.
Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited are being sued.
Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited "sent an ill-prepared crew on a vessel in absolutely unsafe conditions to navigate the waterways of the United States," reads the lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice.
"They did it to take advantage of the benefits of doing business in U.S. ports. However, they cut corners in ways that put lives and infrastructure at risk."
One hundred million dollars could cover the government's expenses and water clean-up.
Federal prosecutors say that a high sum could cover the government's costs following the collapse of the bridge and months-long effort to clean the water so that the Port of Baltimore could reopen. During the water cleaning process, over 50,000 tons of steel, concrete, and asphalt have been collected, as reported by the Department of Justice.
It is unknown if there are criminal charges
Benjamin Mizer, the lead prosecutor in the case, refused to say whether the state will seek criminal charges for the collapse of the major bridge: "We cannot comment on any investigation or criminal action today."
"The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring accountability for those responsible for the destruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which resulted in the tragic death of six people and disrupted our country's transportation and defense infrastructure," said Attorney General Merrick Garland in a statement on Wednesday.
“With this civil lawsuit, the Department of Justice is working to ensure that the costs of cleaning up the channel and reopening the port of Baltimore are borne by the companies that caused the accident, not by the American taxpayer.”