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Camp Pendleton Marine relieved of command after sinking that killed 9

U.S. Navy MH-60 Seahawks takeoff from the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD-8) to conduct search and rescue operations following an AAV-P7/A1 assault amphibious vehicle accident off San Clemente Island on July 30, 2020. (Cpl. Patrick Crosley/15th Marine Expeditionary Unit)

The leader of a Marine landing team at Camp Pendleton has been relieved of command after an amphibious assault vehicle sank off the coast in July, killing nine people.

The military says Lt. Col. Michael J. Regner was relieved of command on Tuesday.


In a statement, the Marine Corps says Regner was relieved “due to a loss in trust and confidence in his ability to command.”

The military is investigating what caused the amphibious vehicle to sink off San Clemente Island, west of San Diego, on July 30 after completing routine training.

Eight Marines and a Navy hospital corpsman died.