Bay-area ship crash blamed on human error
Oakland, Calif.
A preliminary investigation found human error caused a cargo ship to crash into the Bay Bridge, leading to San Francisco Bay’s worst oil spill in nearly two decades, the U.S. Coast Guard said Saturday as rescue teams raced to save hundreds of seabirds.
“There were skilled-enough individuals on board this ship. They didn’t carry out their missions correctly,” said Rear Adm. Craig Bone, the Coast Guard’s top official in California.
Coast Guard officials declined to lay blame on any individual or detail the mistakes.
The Cosco Busan was headed out of the bay when it sideswiped a support on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge early Wednesday, leaving a gash nearly 100 feet long on the side of the 926-foot vessel. The crash ruptured two fuel tanks, which leaked about 58,000 gallons of heavy bunker fuel into the bay.
Authorities said most of the spilled oil will never be captured, causing problems for seabirds. At least 60 birds have been found dead, and 200 live birds were sent to a rehabilitation center.
Orlando, Fla.
3 sue Disney park over Segway ban
Three people have sued Walt Disney World for not allowing them to use their Segways at its theme parks.
The plaintiffs are each able to stand but cannot walk far, and they have been denied permission to use their two-wheel vehicles at Disney World, according to the federal lawsuit.
Disney says it fears Segways could endanger other guests because they can go faster than 12 mph.
Plaintiff Mahala Ault, 33, has multiple sclerosis; Dan Wallace lost one foot in an accident; and Stacie Rhea has Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Cassville, Mo.
Dead girl’s stepdad, his friend charged
The stepfather of a 9-year-old girl found dead in a hillside cave and his friend were each charged Saturday with murder and rape.
Rowan Ford vanished while in her stepfather’s care last weekend. Her body was found Friday in a cave about 10 miles south of Stella, where she lived with her mother, Colleen Spears, 44, and her stepfather, David Spears, 25. The girl had been strangled, police said.
Barry County Sheriff Mick Epperly said the stepfather’s friend, Chris Collings, 32, confessed to the slaying.
Casper, Wyo.
Republican to retire to care for spouse
As expected, Rep. Barbara Cubin said Saturday that she will not seek re-election next year to an eighth term representing Wyoming.
The Republican has missed almost half her votes in Congress this year, spending much of her time in Wyoming tending to her husband, who has been ill for years.
Cubin, 59, said criticism over the missed votes played no role in her decision not to run, a decision she said she made a few months ago.
Also
Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., will run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican Pete Domenici, an aide to the congressman said Saturday. Seattle Times news services