Mackinaw's captain sanctioned

[GLF]

CHEBOYGAN, Mich. - The Coast Guard says the captain of the icebreaker Mackinaw has been removed from his command and reassigned after an accident involving the new $90 million ship.

As the 240-foot ship floated from Lake Michigan into Grand Haven Channel in Michigan on Dec. 12, it rammed a breakwall, leaving an 8-by-3-foot dent in the bow and damaging the breakwall.

Mackinaw commander Capt. Donald Triner said a junior crew member had moved the wrong steering controls. Soon after, the Coast Guard temporarily removed Triner from the command.

Rear Adm. Robert Papp in Cleveland said Wednesday that he decided to permanently remove Triner after reviewing investigations of the Grand Haven accident, as well as allegations of inappropriate use of alcohol by Triner and some crew members in Cheboygan on Dec. 17.

"I have concluded that Captain Triner gave insufficient attention to navigation and ship-handling training during the ship's shakedown cruise," Papp told the Cheboygan Daily Tribune. "With respect to the event in Cheboygan, Captain Triner has exhibited personal behavior and conduct inconsistent with service norms and expectations" for a Coast Guard cutter commander.

[CaptLevi]

Wow! You would think that the Capt. would be at full attention during a new ships maiden voyage. It's a shame seeing tax dollars go to waste.