A California dive boat Captain has pleaded not guilty in relation to the 2019 fire which claimed 34 lives below deck.
On Thursday, Captain Jerry Boylan, a second-time defendant, pleaded not guilty to the one count of misconduct and neglect of ship officer, also known as “seaman’s manslaughter.” His original case regarding and the disaster had been dismissed, but a grand jury returned an indictment last month.
Boylan, aged 68, could spend up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
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The Conception was engulfed in flames on Sept. 2, 2019.
Boylan and a few crew members woke up to see the boat on fire. officials stated. After he radioed for help, he was allegedly the first to jump overboard. The indictment claims that he then instructed his crew to follow his lead and extinguish the flames instead.
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All 33 passengers and one crew member were trapped in the bunk room of the vessel and perished.
Prosecutors accuse him of failing to take preventative measures such as training his crew, hiring someone to watch the boat over night, and practicing fire drills.
The fire’s cause was not determined.
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Boylan’s original indictment was dropped after prosecutors failed to provide details of gross negligence to prove his alleged crime.
This report was contributed by The Associated Press.
