Posted on 09/04/2022 9:19:23 AM PDT by texas booster
A federal judge in Los Angeles on Friday dismissed the criminal indictment against a dive boat captain charged with manslaughter in the deaths of 34 people when the vessel caught fire and sank off the California coast three years ago.
The 75-foot (23-meter) Conception caught fire while most of those onboard were sleeping, killing 33 passengers and a crew member. It is considered one of California’s worst maritime disasters.
U.S. District Judge George Wu said in a ruling that the indictment, handed down on December 2020 against captain Jerry Nehl Boylan by a federal grand jury, must be thrown out because prosecutors had failed to accuse him of gross negligence.
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Bears repeating - you’re absolutely correct
To me, the issue is that there was no watchstanding during the night. A required watch would have addressed the fire immediately and sounded an emergency alarm. LIPO batteries being charged can emit toxic gases when overheating occurs. It’s my opinion that everyone was charging their camera batteries overnight- they ( the batteries ) got hot and started a full blown fire directly above the berthing area - impossible evacuation access plus toxic gas from the melting batteries doomed the sleeping divers
I agree; I think this is why the captain is exposed legally.
I know Jerry, I feel bad for him but a lot of these dive boat captains have a somewhat lax attitude about watchstanding at night. I am surprised they do. Not anymore are they taking it lightly. Not after this.
(That's a GREAT tagline, btw. I've heard someone make the same connection but not so succinctly.)
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