The FBI has finally opened an investigation into the Francis Scott Key Bridge crash in Baltimore despite officials initially having deemed it an accident almost immediately after it happened.

In a statement earlier today, a DOJ spokesperson said, “FBI is present aboard the cargo ship Dali conducting court-authorized law enforcement activity”.

The spokesperson also stated that federal agents have been at the site since the incident on March 26 but that no further information will be disclosed to the public at this time.

“Federal agents today are conducting a court-approved search of the Dali,” said the DOJ spokesperson. “We have no further comment at this time.”

Many have been critical of officials’ initial response to the incident wherein the cargo ship was recorded crashing into the bridge under suspicious circumstances.

Specifically, the video shows all of the lights on the Dali turning off and then back on twice while suddenly changing course to smash directly into one of the bridge’s supports in what many suspect is a possible cyber attack.

Additionally, critical black box data from moments before the incident that would have shed light on the incident have also conspicuously gone missing.  

The economic cost of the destruction of the Baltimore Bridge can’t be understated either.

Besides the cost of repairing the bridge, which could cost up to $1 billion and which President Biden has said will be paid for by the government (i.e., taxpayers), the bridge is a significant port of economic activity that could cost the US up to $15 million per day in lost economic activity.

This is especially significant as while promises to fix the bridge in 18 months have been made, many experts believe it will take much longer.