A charter boat captain despondent over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, but hired by BP to help clean it up, has died of a likely self-inflicted gunshot to the head, an official said.
William Kruse, 55, began his Wednesday morning as he had the past several days, picking up his crew and preparing to head out for cleanup operations from Gulf Shores, Alabama, said Stan Vinson, coroner of Baldwin County.
But when crewmembers returned to the boat after Kruse sent them to get ice, they discovered him on the floor of the wheelhouse with a gunshot wound.
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"At this time we have no reason to believe anything other than a self-inflicted gunshot wound," Vinson told AFP.
"They just said he was real upset and despondent over the oil spill," he added, citing Kruse's fellow crew who spoke with the coroner.
"He's been a charter boat captain most of his life, but all of that had come to a screeching halt" in the aftermath of a well blowout on the ocean floor that has spewed untold millions of gallons into the Gulf, spoiling coastlines, killing wildlife, and bringing local businesses across the Gulf Coast, including fishing and boating operations, to their knees.
According to Vinson, Kruse's boat, The Rookie, had been part of BP's "vessels of opportunity" fleet which the British energy giant has hired to help contain and clean up the spill.
