ACCOUNTABILITY BITES

U.S. Coast Guard Sued by Families of Dive Boat Fire Victims

“Had the Coast Guard properly inspected the Conception...these 34 victims would not have lost their lives,” said lawyer Jeffrey P. Goodman.

The families of the 34 people who died in a fire aboard the Conception dive boat off California in 2019 are suing the U.S. Coast Guard, accusing the service of failing to prevent the vessel’s owners from operating with faulty electrical and safety systems. The suit was filed Wednesday, a day before the second anniversary of the blaze, the Los Angeles Times reports. Truth Aquatics, the operator of the Conception, has denied any wrongdoing. A lawsuit by the families against Truth Aquatics is already pending in court. The latest legal salvo adds yet another problem to Conception captain Jerry Boylan’s overflowing plate, which includes a criminal case charging him with 34 counts of seaman’s manslaughter. “Had the Coast Guard properly inspected the Conception it never would have been certified, never set sail, and these 34 victims would not have lost their lives,” lawyer Jeffrey P. Goodman told the Times.