Some Dali crew to leave after months on ship in Baltimore

Crew members on the container ship that crashed into a major bridge in Baltimore are set to finally leave the vessel and return home after nearly three months on board, according to the cargo ship's management company.

The 21 seafarers, predominantly from India, have been stranded on the MV Dali since it struck Baltimore's iconic Francis Scott Key bridge on 26 March, causing it to collapse.

The crash sent the mile-long bridge, a regional transportation artery, into Maryland's Patapsco River and across the vessel's deck, blocking the port of Baltimore.

Earlier this week, Baltimore officials dropped a petition that would have prevented the crew members from leaving so that they could be questioned.

Six construction workers who were on the bridge were killed in the incident, which iremains the focus of two investigations from the FBI and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

The seafarers have lived on the vessel since the crash occurred. They were unable to depart the ship because they were considered witnesses and did not have valid visas or shore passes to enter the US.

According to local media reports, a deal reached between the city of Baltimore, the ship's owners, and its management company will now allow some sailors to leave the vessel.

They will have to be made available for depositions even after they leave the US, however.

The number of crew members initially headed home - and their date of departure - is unclear.

When contacted by the BBC, Synergy Marine - the ship's management company -spokesperson Darrel Wilson said that the company is "working to send some crew home", while "some will remain to assist with the investigation".

He added that the crew is "doing well".

Two unions representing the sailors said in May that morale on the ship had "dipped" due to "unfounded fear of personal criminal liability" and emotional distress.

Grace Ocean Private Ltd, which owns the ship, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In court documents filed earlier this week, lawyers for Baltimore said they were made aware last-minute that eight of the seafarers were planning to leave the country as early as Wednesday.

The city initially called for a judge to intervene to prevent that from happening.

A deal reached late Wednesday, however, includes a guarantee that the "vessel interests will produce the witness in question for deposition during the discovery phase" of legal proceedings, court documents show.

Baltimore officials are currently working to determine potential compensation for the incident and have resisted attempts by the Dali's owner to cap damages at $43m (£33.9m).

The US Justice Department has already interviewed the Dali's crew as part of its own investigation and has no objection to them leaving the country.

After months stranded under the metal and steel remnants of the Key Bridge, the 948ft (289m) ship was towed away last month and is now at a local container terminal.

Replacement sailors will be brought in while the ship remains at the terminal, according to CBS, the BBC's news partner.

Last week, the shipping channel outside of Baltimore that was had been blocked by the crash was re-opened after 11 weeks of closure.