Master of Cargo Vessel Held on Alcohol Charge
The vessel master of a 482-foot cargo ship that was at anchor in Long Beach Harbor was arrested Thursday for intoxication after allegedly failing a field sobriety test, the Coast Guard reported.
P.K. Datta of Calcutta was taken into custody aboard the Panamanian commercial vessel Sapphire, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Brenda Toledo.
The ship was not under way when a barge fueling the vessel broke free and ran aground on the Long Beach breakwater Wednesday night, Toledo said. A Coast Guard boat pulled the barge free with no apparent damage.
“The investigating officer observed the master, who appeared to be under the influence of alcohol,” Toledo said. “The master was given, and failed, a field sobriety test.”
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