Free Republic

The captain of the M/V Conception, a dive boat that caught fire last year off the coast of Santa Barbara, was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury on 34 counts of seaman's manslaughter, CBS Los Angeles reports. (excerpt) The indictment alleges that Boylan caused the deaths of 33 passengers and one crew member "by his misconduct, negligence and inattention to his duties." Prosecutors alleged Boylan failed to have a night watch or roving patrol, conduct fire drills and conduct sufficient crew training — all of which are required by the Code of Federal Regulations.

Federal investigators on Thursday released a preliminary report on the Conception boat that killed nearly three-dozen people earlier this month off the coast of California, and said the entire crew was asleep when the blaze began. National Transportation Safety Board officials have said the full investigation could take more than a year, and preliminary findings highlight remaining questions as much as they provide answers as to how the tragedy happened. “A crew member sleeping in the wheelhouse berths was awakened by a noise and got up to investigate,” the report said. “As crew members awoke, the captain radioed a distress...