The captain of the California dive boat MV Conception that caught fire in 2019, killing 34 people, has been indicted on seaman’s manslaughter counts, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Related: Blame Placed On Conception’s Diving Boat’s Owner For Fire That Killed 34
Jerry Nehl Boylan, 67, of Santa Barbara, was named in the indictment that alleges Boylan, as the captain and master of the vessel, was responsible for the safety and security of the vessel, its crew, and its passengers.
“As a result of the alleged failures of Captain Boylan to follow well-established safety rules, a pleasant holiday dive trip turned into a hellish nightmare as passengers and one crew member found themselves trapped in a fiery bunkroom with no means of escape,”
United States Attorney Nick Hanna
If convicted, each charge of seaman’s manslaughter carries a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.
