Commander Kevin Mooney was removed for failing to follow crucial navigational procedures before the USS San Francisco crashed into the mountain, and he also received a letter of reprimand following a hearing in Yokosuka, Japan, the navy said.

In announcing the decision by Vice Admiral Jonathan Greenert, commander of the Seventh Fleet, the navy said investigators had found that "several critical navigational and voyage planning procedures were not being implemented" aboard the submarine.

The navy added that "by not ensuring these standard procedures were followed," Mooney put the vessel in jeopardy.

Late last month, Mooney had been reassigned pending the outcome of an investigation into the incident.

The Los Angeles-class attack submarine slammed head-on into what military officials have said was an uncharted undersea mountain some 560 kilometers (350 miles) south of Guam on January 8, partly flooding the sonar dome in the vessel's bow.

Machinist Mate Second Class John Allen Ashley, 24, of Akron, Ohio, died two days later of injuries suffered in the grounding.

Twenty-three other crew members were initially believed to have been injured, but the Navy has since revised that figure upward to 98, including 23 who were seriously injured.

US media reported Saturday that the vessel was traveling close to top speed some 150 meters (500 feet) below the surface when it crashed. The sonar, which is used to scan for underwater obstacles is usually unreliable at high speeds.

Although the underwater mountain the San Francisco hit was no shown on Navy charts, CBS News reported that other charts available to the captain warned that satellites had detected a discolored area of water, which could indicate an obstacle beneath the surface.

In addition, prior to the crash, the crew took depth soundings, which revealed the water was shallower than shown on the chart.

The damaged submarine limped into port in Guam on January 10.

Mooney had earlier been reassigned to Submarine Squadron 15, based in Guam. Commander Andrew Hale, the squadron's deputy commander, has since assumed the role of commanding officer of the USS San Francisco.

A vessel's commander is typically held responsible for mishaps of this nature, but officials had suggested that Mooney might escape blame if the investigation found that the mountain was not on the charts and the skipper had exercised sound judgment.

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