US Government Sues Ship Companies After Bridge Crash

May 12, 2026, 16:21
AsiaInternational

Introduction

The US government is taking two shipping companies and one worker to court. They caused a big bridge to fall in March 2024.

Main Body

The companies are from Singapore and India. The government says they lied about the ship's problems. They also put oil and trash into the water. The ship lost power two times. The crew used a bad pump for fuel. This pump did not work well. The companies knew about this problem in 2020 but they hid the information. Six people died in the crash. The bridge cost billions of dollars. The government will build a new bridge by 2030. The US wants to check foreign ships more carefully now.

Conclusion

The companies must go to court in Maryland. This case shows that the ship was not safe.

Learning

πŸ› οΈ How to talk about the PAST

Look at these words from the story:

  • caused
  • lied
  • lost
  • used
  • died

The Simple Rule: To talk about things that already happened, we usually add -ed to the end of the action word.

Examples from the text: Lie β†’\rightarrow Lied Cause β†’\rightarrow Caused

The 'Tricky' Words: Some words change completely. You just have to remember them!

  • Lose β†’\rightarrow Lost (The ship lost power)
  • Is/Are β†’\rightarrow Was/Were (The ship was not safe)

Quick Tip for A2: If you see -ed, you are looking at the past. If you see -ing, it is happening right now.

Vocabulary Learning

bridge (n.)
a structure that spans a gap
Example:The bridge over the river was closed for repairs.
ship (n.)
a large boat that travels on water
Example:The ship left port at dawn.
company (n.)
a business that sells goods or services
Example:The company hired new employees.
government (n.)
the group that runs a country
Example:The government announced a new policy.
court (n.)
a place where legal cases are heard
Example:The case will be heard in court.
worker (n.)
a person who does a job
Example:The worker fixed the broken part.
fall (v.)
to drop down from a higher place
Example:The bridge fell into the water.
big (adj.)
large in size or amount
Example:It was a big accident.
lied (v.)
told a false statement
Example:They lied about the problem.
problem (n.)
an issue that needs solving
Example:The problem was solved quickly.
oil (n.)
a liquid used for fuel or lubrication
Example:Oil was spilled into the sea.
trash (n.)
waste that is thrown away
Example:Trash was found on the beach.
water (n.)
a clear liquid that people drink
Example:Water was clean after the cleanup.
lost (v.)
no longer has something
Example:The ship lost power twice.
power (n.)
the ability to do something
Example:Power is needed for the pump.
crew (n.)
a group of people working together
Example:The crew worked all night.
pump (n.)
a device that moves liquid
Example:The pump moved the fuel.
fuel (n.)
a substance used to make energy
Example:Fuel was stored in tanks.
work (v.)
to do a job
Example:The pump did not work well.
knew (v.)
had knowledge of something
Example:The company knew about the issue.
hid (v.)
concealed something
Example:They hid the information.
information (n.)
facts that are known
Example:The information was hidden.
died (v.)
no longer alive
Example:Six people died in the crash.
crash (n.)
a sudden collision
Example:The crash caused many injuries.
cost (v.)
to require a certain amount of money
Example:The bridge cost billions of dollars.
billions (n.)
a very large number (10^9)
Example:Billions of dollars were spent.
dollars (n.)
the currency used in the US
Example:The cost was measured in dollars.
build (v.)
to make something
Example:They will build a new bridge.
new (adj.)
not old
Example:The new bridge will open in 2030.
foreign (adj.)
from another country
Example:Foreign ships will be checked.
carefully (adv.)
with great attention
Example:They will check ships carefully.
safe (adj.)
not dangerous
Example:The ship was not safe.