April 24, 2008 - Ship's Pilot Indicted Over Fuel Spill

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April 24, 2008 - A federal grand jury has indicted John Joseph Cota, the pilot of a 65,000-ton Cosco Busan container ship that smashed into the San Francisco Bay Bridge spilling 50,000 gallons of fuel on November 7, 2007.

Cota is accused of lying to the U.S. Coast Guard concerning his medications and medical conditions in 2006 and 2007, according to the U.S. Justice Department said. The false statements were given at the time of the annual physical exams required for ship pilots to maintain their licenses.

Earlier charges were brought under the Clean Water Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, because the spill caused the death of about 2,000 migratory birds, including protected species.

Cota is accused of failing to pilot a collision-free course as he headed out of port on a foggy night; not adequately reviewing the proposed course with the captain and crew on official navigational charts; and failing to use the ship's radar as he approached the bridge. The indictment further alleges that he failed to maintain a safe speed under conditions of limited visibility and did not take other safety measures.