From The Banner · Hayes Gardner · · 1m 40s
Dali crew member barred from US return after India visit
Dali chief engineer denied boarding flight home after US customs blocked his return.
In brief
Dali chief engineer denied boarding flight home after US customs blocked his return. Karthikeyan Deenadayalan, a Dali cargo ship chief engineer charged in the Key Bridge collapse, was barred from returning to the US after attempting to fly home from India. Originally reported by The Banner.
Dali crew member visits home
Karthikeyan Deenadayalan, the Dali cargo ship’s chief engineer, went home to India after being allowed a trip home by US authorities.
US barred his return
He was denied boarding his Emirates flight in Chennai, India, by US Customs and Border Protection after a government email instructed the airline to refuse him.
Deferred prosecution agreement
Deenadayalan entered a deferred prosecution agreement with the federal government to avoid criminal charges related to the Key Bridge collapse.
Charged for Key Bridge disaster
He was charged in June with violations of the Ports and Waterways Safety Act for failing to notify the US Coast Guard about the Dali’s generator issues before the bridge collapse.
2.5 years detained
Deenadayalan has been effectively detained in the US for 2 1/2 years since January 2024, when he first embarked on the Dali.
Family unable to visit
His wife and two children, now 9 and 13, have visited him in the US twice since he was detained, but he hasn’t been home in years.
Criminal trial set for 2027
The criminal trial for Deenadayalan is scheduled for October 2027, after prosecutors filed charges against him in May.
US customs blocked return
US Customs and Border Protection barred Deenadayalan from returning to the US after he attempted to board his flight from Chennai, India.
The takeaway
Karthikeyan Deenadayalan, a Dali cargo ship chief engineer charged in the Key Bridge collapse, was barred from returning to the US after attempting to fly home from India.
