A federal jury on Monday found a scuba dive boat captain was criminally negligent in the deaths of 34 people killed in a fire aboard the vessel in 2019, the deadliest maritime disaster in recent U.S. history. The U.S. Attorney's Office said Boylan failed to post the required roving night watch and never properly trained his crew in firefighting. The lack of the roving watch meant the fire was able to spread undetected across the 23-metre boat. Two to three dozen family members of the victims attended each day of the trial in downtown Los Angeles. That case is pending, as are others filed by victims' families against the U.S. Coast Guard for alleged lax enforcement of the roving watch requirement.

Source: CBC News November 07, 2023 14:17 UTC