Ole Expose News

Master Charged with Operating Ship While Intoxicated

The Greek master of a commercial ship pleaded guilty and was charged Thursday with operating his vessel while intoxicated. Nikolaos Zografos was charged before a U.S. magistrate judge with being drunk while aboard the 580-foot freight ship Winner at St. John's Buoys, near Reserve, La. Zografos pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to one-year probation, restriction from being a master or licensed officer on any vessel in U.S. waters for the duration of his probation and received a $5,500 fine. On Oct. 28, contract workers cleaning cargo holds aboard Winner informed the Coast Guard that the master appeared intoxicated. Lt. Boris…