FBI agents are searching the ship that crashed into Baltimore's Key Bridge

The FBI is conducting a court-authorized search of the vessel that crashed into a Baltimore bridge last month, according to FBI and Justice Department officials.

The Dali hit the Key Bridge on March 26, leading to the death of six construction workers who had been repairing pot holes in the overnight hours on the structure.

The Justice Department does not typically confirm or deny the existence of criminal investigations, but the investigative authority suggests that a criminal probe into the collapse is underway, and that a federal judge has approved the search.

The Washington Post, which first reported the activity, suggests that federal investigators are exploring whether crew members knew the vessels systems had been malfunctioning before they left the port. NPR has not confirmed the focus of the search.

The FBI probe is separate from an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The Biden administration has pledged to help rebuild the bridge.

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