San Francisco: The pilot of the ship that spilled 58,000 gallons of oil after hitting the San Francisco Bay Bridge last year, was today charged by federal prosecutors with criminal negligence and breaking environmental laws. Capt John J Cota (60), was charged in federal court here with one count each of negligently discharging a pollutant and violating a federal law against killing migratory birds.

The maximum penalty for the crime is 18 months in jail and a fine of more than $100,000. The Hong Kong-registered ship spilled heavy fuel oil on November 7, 2007, resulting in deaths of about 2,000 birds including Brown Pelicans, Marbled Murrelets and Western Grebes.

The court document says, Cota failed to safely guide the container and use the ship's radar as he approached the Bay Bridge. Further, he floundered to adequately review the proposed course with the captain, use positional fixes or verify the ship's position using official aids of navigation, throughout the voyage.

Source : PTI