The commander of the St. Thomas Coast Guard station said Wednesday that he's prepared to recommend a three-month suspended license for the operator of the Captain Vic, the St. John-based barge that ran into a reef on June 6.
Lt. Kevin Smith said suspending the Coast Guard license for Capt. Tilbert Lettsome is part of a negotiated settlement that will be discussed at a Thursday meeting being held in lieu of a disciplinary hearing.
Lettsome was at the wheel when the Captain Vic collided with a coral reef near Stevens Cay. In a telephone interview conducted shortly after the accident, he reportedly told officials human error was to blame.
"At this point Mr. Lettsome has indicated he wants to do a settlement agreement, which essentially is a no-contest plea," Smith said Wednesday.
The terms of the settlement are expected to be submitted to an administrative law judge in Maryland shortly after the meeting. Smith said a final decision could be reached in a matter of days. He declined to discuss further details of the settlement but said no fines will be levied against Lettsome in connection with the accident.
The Captain Vic returned from repairs at the Martinique Dry Dock last Thursday and resumed its regular scheduled runs between Cruz Bay and Red Hook, St. Thomas, last weekend.