The Coast Guard has temporarily relieved the commander of the buoy tender Hickory, citing “leadership deficiencies” that contributed to a shore side crane accident that killed a crew member.
Chief Warrant Officer Michael Kozloski was struck by the Shuttlelift crane boom when the machine tipped over, as its operator attempted to move a pallet of buoy equipment Jan. 31, 2019 at the Hickory’s Homer, Alaska homeport.
The crane operator’s “judgement and decision making errors in attempting to execute...