The Ukrainian Captain of the Gibraltar-flagged bulk carrier ‘Rainbow Quest’ pleaded guilty to operating a commercial cargo ship while intoxicated, according to US Attorney David L. Anderson and USCG Captain of the Port Marie Byrd.
In pleading guilty, Vadim Humenyuk, 51, admitted that he was intoxicated while serving as the Master, or head officer, of the 590-foot long Rainbow Quest.
The ship was in San Francisco Bay and preparing to sail to South Korea when Humenyuk was found to be intoxicated.
The investigation began on 10 December 2019, when a San Francisco Bar Pilot contacted USCG Sector San Francisco Vessel Traffic Service personnel reporting that the captain of the Rainbow Quest appeared to be intoxicated.
USCG investigators administered sobriety tests to Humenyuk late on the evening of December 10, and the early morning of December 11.
After Humenyuk failed the sobriety tests, he was charged with operating a non-recreational vessel under the influence of alcohol, in violation of 46 USC 2302(c), a Class A misdemeanor.
He now faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to one year of incarceration, an additional year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $100,000.
The Coast Guard and our partners will not tolerate operating a vessel under the influence from any mariner, much less a commercial ship captain preparing to get a large cargo ship underway in San Francisco Bay,
…said Captain Byrd.
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