Cosco Busan pilot Capt. John Cota whose container struck a Bay Bridge tower
on November 7, causing the spill of 58,000 gallons of oil into the San Francisco Bay and the death of approximately 2,500
birds, had a DUI conviction and a history of alcohol abuse. He also took
numerous prescription drugs that could have impaired him, according to testimony
at a hearing of the National Transportation Safety Board.
Despite a series of illnesses including glaucoma,
depression, kidney stones, migraines, pancreatitis and, most recently, sleep
apnea, for which he was taking medication which could have impaired him, Cota succeeded
to hold on to his federal mariner’s license, a thing the NTSB investigators grilled
Coast Guard officials about.
“I wouldn’t want anyone taking those medications and having
to make decisions in safety-sensitive positions,” Dr. Robert Bourgeois, who evaluates
mariners for the Coast Guard and airline pilots for the Federal Aviation
Administration, testified, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
According to his doctor, the list of prescription drugs Cota
was taking in 2007 or had taken in the past included Provigil (to fight
drowsiness), Valium, as sleep aid, Lorazepam, an anti-anxiety drug, Darvon
Compound-65, a narcotic pain reliever, Wellbutrin, an anti-depressant, Aciflux
for heartburn, Lipidor for high cholesterol, Alphagan for glaucoma, Imitrex, a
migraine drug, Synthroid for thyroid deficiency and Potassium citrate for
kidney stones.
Side effects of these drugs include confusion, agitation,
dizziness or faintness, seizures and tiredness, depression, agitation,
weakness, blurred vision and others, which could significantly stay in the way
of his work as a captain.
In addition to his medical treatment, Cota has a history of
alcohol abuse, a DUI conviction in February 1999, was apparently diagnosed with
alcoholism, and entered an alcohol rehabilitation program. The alcohol use was
the likely cause of his pancreatitis, Dr. Bourgeois said.
Cota’s lawyer Jeff Bornstein, disputed statements about his
condition but he would not comment about what medicines Cota took on the
morning of the accident.
“There’s absolutely no link between any of the medically prescribed
medications that Captain Cota used on the morning of Nov. 7 and this incident,”
Mr. Bornstein said.
“Captain Cota is a qualified, experienced pilot, who has worked on the San Francisco Bay for almost 27 years. He literally
has safely assisted thousands of ships in and out of the Bay throughout his
career. We strongly believe that once all of the evidence is heard, a jury will
find in Captain Cota’s favor,” Cota’a Lawyer was quoted by Reuters last
month.
Cota had passed a drug and alcohol test after the accident, though such a
test is not meant to detect most legally prescribed drugs. Mr. Bornstein has
also argued that the Coast Guard’s traffic service could have warned Cota he
was about to crash into the bridge instead of simply question his course, as
happened.
Cota has pleaded not guilty to criminal negligence and
violating environmental laws and refused to testify at the hearing.
Meanwhile, the costs of the cleanup and recovery were
estimated at $61 million, and the after- incident operations will continue
until at least May 2008
