Cota was referring to the Chinese captain and crew of the Cosco Busan, the cargo ship that sideswiped a tower of the Bay Bridge on a foggy morning, spilling 58,000 gallons of bunker fuel. Both the captain and crew so far have refused to be interviewed by the U.S. Coast Guard or other authorities.
California State regulators suspended the license of the ship’s pilot Capt. John Cota but the suspension is not an indication of negligence on his part. The suspension during the investigation is not meant to prejudice the pilot; it seems like standard operating procedure for such incidence.