Coast Guard charges Greek ship captain was drunk at helm

Coast Guard charges Greek ship captain was drunk at helm    The U.S. Coast Guard in New Orleans has charged the Greek master of a 580-foot cargo vessel with operating his ship while intoxicated.
   Capt. Nikolaos Zografos, master of the 'Winner,' pleaded guilty to the charge before a U.S. magistrate judge. On Oct. 28, contract workers cleaning cargo holds aboard the 'Winner' told the Coast Guard that Zografos appeared to be drunk. Coast Guard personnel boarded the ship and administered breathalyzer tests that confirmed his intoxication.
   The court sentenced Zografos to a one-year probation, during which time he cannot serve as a master or licensed officer on any vessel in U.S. waters, and fined him $5,500.
   'This case should send a clear message to all mariners in U.S. waters that operating any vessel under the influence of drugs or alcohol ' will not be tolerated,' the Coast Guard said in a statement.