By Diana Novak Jones
(Reuters) - The families of the six workers who died in the March collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore filed lawsuits on Friday against the owner and operator of the cargo ship that struck the bridge.
The lawsuits filed in Maryland federal court by the families of Carlos Daniel Hernandez Estrella, Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, Miguel Angel Luna, Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, Maynor Yasir Suazo Sandoval and Jose Mynor Lopez seek unspecified damages from the registered owner of the ship, Grace Ocean Pte Ltd, and its manager, Synergy Marine Group, claiming they negligently allowed the ship to depart Baltimore when they knew it was plagued by mechanical issues.
Julio Cervantes Suarez, another worker who survived the bridge's collapse, filed a separate lawsuit on Friday against the companies, also seeking unspecified damages for his injuries. Cervantes was in his truck when it fell into the river from the bridge, according to his lawsuit.
Darrell Wilson, a spokesperson for the companies, said in a statement that the filing of the claim was anticipated ahead of a September deadline but declined to comment on its merits.
"We do look forward to our day in court to set the record straight," Wilson said.
Craig Sico, one of the attorneys representing Maynor Yasir Suazo Sandoval, said the lawsuits were filed as part of a coordinated effort between the victims' families.
"It's our belief that the crew of the Dali could foresee this incident taking place," Sico told Reuters in an interview.
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the companies over the disaster, accusing the companies of wilfully ignoring or mishandling mechanical problems on the ship. The department's lawsuit seeks at least $100 million it says the government spent in responding to the disaster and clearing the wreck of the Dali ship and bridge debris from the Port of Baltimore so the waterway could reopen in June.
In the early morning of March 26, the container ship lost power and crashed into a support pylon, sending the bridge into the Patapsco River and killing six people who were working on the span at the time of the crash.
Grace Ocean and Synergy filed a petition on April 1 in Maryland federal court to limit their liability from the crash to the present value of the ship and its cargo, which they estimated to be just over $43 million, according to the petition. Claimants have until Sept. 24 to come forward.
The company that employed the workers who died in the collapse, Brawner Builders, also sued Grace Ocean and Synergy on Wednesday, seeking an unspecified sum in damages for the deaths of its workers and loss of construction vehicles and equipment on the bridge.