(July 21, 2008)—Texas A&M University-Galveston announced Monday it has fired its marine terminal manager James Atchley, who also coached the school’s offshore sailing team, which lost a boat during a fatal accident during a race last month.

The Texas A&M System fired Atchley for failing to reveal his criminal history on his job application in 1997.

Jay Kimbrough, A&M's general counsel and deputy chancellor, says Atchley was notified Friday.

“It’s important to understand that Atchley was terminated for having withheld the federal felony conviction information on his application, not for any job performance issues related to his oversight of the offshore sailing team,” Kimbrough said.

“Withholding criminal history information will not be tolerated.”

Atchley didn't disclose he had a federal conviction in 1990 related to the savings and loan scandals of the 1980s.

Atchley was responsible for overseeing repair work and maintenance of the Galveston school's fleet.

The sailboat Cynthia Woods capsized June 6 after its keel broke off.

One crewmember, safety officer Roger Stone, died, and five others were adrift for 26 hours before they were rescued from the Gulf of Mexico.

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