The US Marine Corps (USMC) dismissed Colonel Christopher J. Bronzi, commander of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), on Tuesday, saying he lost “confidence in his ability to command” after an investigation about training your accident unit last year.
The incident, which occurred on San Clemente Island on July 30, resulted in nine soldiers killed and was described as the worst amphibious assault vehicle (AAV) accident in the history of the Navy.
Before the July accident, only eight Marines died in AAV-related incidents, the Marine Corps Times reported.
The Marines said Lieutenant General Steven Rudder replaced Bronzi with Colonel Fridrik Fridriksson, who previously commanded the 11th MEU, as commanding officer for the 15th MEU.
MARINES IN TRAINING ACCIDENT EXERCISE ON THE CALIFORNIA COAST ID’D
Tuesday’s announcement came at the end of an eight-month process of compiling the incident report. An AAV carrying 16 individuals from San Clemente Island was hit by water and sank about half a mile into the sea, according to the Orange County Register.
US-flagged coffins containing the remains of seven Marines and a Navy sailor recovered off the coast of San Clemente Island after a training accident are depicted at the Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar, California, before a transfer to Dover Air Force Base, Del., in this August 12, 2020 brochure photo provided by US Marines. (Lance Cpl. Brendan Mullin / US Marine Corps / Handout via REUTERS)
(Lance Cpl. Brendan Mullin / US Marine Corps / Handout via REUTERS)
One of the Marines, Lance Cpl. Guillermo S. Perez was pronounced dead at the scene, while seven other people and a Navy officer were later recovered when the vehicle was found at the bottom of the ocean.
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“We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident, Bronzi said in a press release in August.” I ask you to keep our Marines, sailors and their families in their prayers as we continue our search.
At the conclusion of the search and rescue, Bronzi added: “[t]The unshakable dedication of Marines, sailors and coast guards to the persistent rescue effort was tremendous. “
Lucas Tomlinson of Fox News contributed to this report.