Families of Key Bridge victims to file lawsuit against shipowner

Baltimore — The families of three immigrant construction workers who tragically died due to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge are taking legal action to hold the owner of the ship responsible for the disaster accountable. This announcement is set to be made on Tuesday, as the families seek to prevent Grace Ocean Private Limited, the Singapore-based company that owns the container ship Dali, from escaping legal liability for the catastrophic incident.

The Dali collided with the bridge in late March after losing power, which resulted in a significant portion of the bridge collapsing. On that night, eight maintenance workers were on the bridge, and six lost their lives when the structure fell into the water. The aftermath led to the Port of Baltimore being closed for eleven weeks, causing economic losses in the millions.

If a federal district court in Maryland approves the upcoming motion, the affected families could seek monetary compensation for their immense losses. Matthew Wessler from Gupta Wessler LLP, the firm set to file the court motion, expressed that this legal action represents a search for justice. “They all have suffered an unimaginable tragedy, losing their loved ones, whether it was one of our clients who lost her husband and partner or another who lost their son,” Wessler shared.

He emphasized the importance of holding those responsible accountable, stating that the actions of Grace Ocean Private Limited were “negligent.” Wessler mentioned that, based on the current information, the Dali should not have departed from the port after experiencing multiple power failures just prior to its departure.

The firm aims to file the motion against Grace Ocean Private Limited before September 24, which coincides with a deadline in another federal court case initiated earlier this year. This case stemmed from the ship company’s attempts to limit its legal exposure related to the bridge collapse. Efforts to reach out to the attorneys representing Grace Ocean Private Limited for comments have been made.

The legal motion will represent the families of Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez, Jose Maynor Lopez Sandoval, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, all of whom were among the construction workers who perished in March.

Maria del Carmen Castellon, who lost her husband Luna Gonzalez, described him in an exclusive interview as “the best husband” and her “best friend.” The couple, originally from El Salvador, had been together for more than a decade before marrying in 2017.

Castellon recounted the final conversation she had with her husband on the day before the tragic incident, recalling his phone call asking for a tortilla. The emotional farewell ended with a kiss, and she noted how he had placed a photo of them on his phone’s wallpaper—his final act before leaving for work.

Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA, a community advocacy group, stated that the families of the deceased workers deserve financial restitution, labor protections, and work permits, particularly as some do not have permanent legal immigration status in the U.S. He emphasized, “They are people who work really, really hard. They’re people who were always thinking of the American dream, making contributions and building their own businesses.”

For Castellon, the concept of justice is deeply personal. “Justice for me would be to have my husband at my side, sharing all the dreams we had planned,” she reflected. In memory of her husband, she has decided to continue the food truck business they co-founded in Glen Burnie, where she prepares and sells traditional dishes like pupusas and tacos to a loyal customer base—many of whom are construction workers like her late husband.

She aspires to open a restaurant one day, a shared dream she had with her husband. “I know he’s going to be very proud of me when I open the restaurant,” she said with determination.

Castellon urged the community not to forget her husband or the other victims of the bridge collapse. “They were there so this country could have better streets and bridges,” she noted. “For me, my husband is a hero, alongside his five co-workers,” she stated emphatically.

Source: CBS News