News of Key Bridge collapse after boat crash in Baltimore, live

Vessels operated by Synergy Marine Group, the company that operated the vessel that crashed on Baltimore’s Key Bridge, have been involved in at least three fatal incidents since 2018, according to investigations and statements from authorities in Australia, Singapore and the Philippines.

In 2018, one person aboard a Synergy-powered ship in Australia died in an accident involving the ship’s crew lift, according to a report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

“Many of these accidents involved failure to implement existing safety management procedures and/or identified safety barriers that have been shown to be effective in reducing risks associated with elevator maintenance,” the report said. Director of Safety Board, Stuart McLeod.

In 2019, an officer on board a Synergy-registered ship was reported missing in Singapore “after falling overboard while performing inspection or cleaning work on the outboard side,” according to a report by Singapore’s Transportation Safety Investigation Bureau.

The report noted that if a risk assessment had been completed before the officer began his job, the risks involved could have been identified and “an appropriate level of security measures would have been incorporated.”

In 2023, at least one sailor was killed when an oil tanker operated by Synergy collided with a dredging vessel in the Philippines, causing it to capsize, according to a Philippine Coast Guard incident report.

The tanker referenced in the Philippine Coast Guard report, Petit Sauer, has been operated by Synergy since October 2022, according to the Electronic Quality Shipping Information System (Equsys), a global tool that promotes maritime safety.