Photo: Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Daniel Barker/Navy

The Marine Corps suspended Maj. Gen. Robert F. Castellvi last week as it investigates his role in the sinking of an amphibious assault vehicle (AAV) that killed eight U.S. Marines and one Navy sailor.  

A Marine Corps investigation, released in March, determined that the two-star general “bears some responsibility” for the incident in which a 35-year-old armored amphibious assault vehicle (AAV) sprang numerous leaks and sank off the coast of California last July. The investigation report concluded that the deaths were the result of poor training, a vehicle in “horrible condition,” and lapsed safety procedures in a rush to deploy an operational AAV platoon.

The Washington Post reports that eleven other Marine officials involved in the disaster were previously removed from their jobs or otherwise disciplined, but Castellvi had avoided any action against him, angering families of the Marines and sailor killed in the sinking. He was the commanding general of the 1st Marine Division, of Camp Pendleton, Calif., at the time of the disaster and rotated out to become Marine Corps inspector general several weeks later.

The decision to suspend Castellvi was first raised Monday by Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) during a hearing about the incident.

“He was found responsible for a lack of training. No action was taken against him, and up until last week he was, in fact, the inspector general for the Marine Corps,” Speier said.

“That is correct,” responded Gen. Gary L. Thomas, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps. “He has been suspended from his duties.”

Meanwhile, the Navy has announced that it has launched its own investigation into the AAV accident.