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AROUND THE EMPIRE -- PETALUMA

Ship pilot asked to give up license


Published: Sunday, December 9, 2007 at 3:40 a.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, December 8, 2007 at 9:00 p.m.

The Petaluma pilot involved in the recent San Francisco Bay oil spill has been asked to surrender his federal Merchant Marine officer's license.

The Coast Guard says Capt. John Cota is not physically competent to maintain the license.

If he doesn't turn it over voluntarily, the license could be suspended or revoked.

Cota was piloting the Cosco Busan on Nov. 7 when it collided with a support tower for the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, opening a gash in its hull and leaking 58,000 gallons of toxic bunker fuel into the water.

This past week, the agency that licenses Northern California ship pilots formally accused Cota of misconduct in the events that led up to the oil spill.

Cota's lawyer did not immediately return a call Saturday.

-- Associated Press


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