Captain Jerry Boylan was sentenced to four years in prison and three years supervised release for criminal negligence following the deadliest maritime disaster in recent US history, in which 34 people died in a fire aboard a scuba dive boat. This incident led to changes in maritime regulations, congressional reform, and ongoing lawsuits. Boylan was found guilty of misconduct or neglect of a ship officer, also known as seaman’s manslaughter, an old statute meant to hold boat captains and crew accountable for maritime disasters.
Family members of the victims urged the judge to give Boylan the maximum 10-year sentence during an emotional hearing. One of the victim’s fathers brought a small container with him to address Boylan and the court, expressing his grief. The mother of a 16-year-old victim tearfully stated in court that Boylan was responsible for her daughter not being there and questioned the pain she was experiencing. Among the 34 victims killed in the blaze were a deckhand, an environmental scientist, a couple, a data scientist, and a family of three sisters, among others. Boylan was the first to abandon ship, and only he and four crew members survived.
Boylan’s defense attorney read a statement expressing his condolences, and Boylan stated that he wished he could have brought everyone home safely. The judge considered Boylan’s age, health, unlikelihood of recurrence, deterrence, and punishment factors in determining the sentence. However, the judge noted that Boylan’s behavior was reckless, but the sentencing guidelines did not warrant a 10-year sentence. Boylan’s attorneys had requested a five-year probationary sentence, but Boylan’s appeal is ongoing. The families of the victims expressed that they have a life sentence without their loved ones.
After a five-year prosecution, Boylan was initially indicted on 34 counts of seaman’s manslaughter, which could have resulted in a much longer sentence. In 2022, the superseding indictment was dismissed, and prosecutors were forced to present the case to a grand jury again. The exact cause of the Conception fire remains undetermined, but during the trial, the government argued that Boylan failed to post a roving night watch and properly train the crew in firefighting. Defense attorneys shifted blame to the boat’s owners for failing to train the crew in safety measures, contributing to a lax seafaring culture.
With the criminal case concluded, attention now turns to ongoing lawsuits, including those filed by victims’ families and the Coast Guard. The Fritzlers, who own Truth Aquatics Inc., which operated the Conception, filed a suit under maritime law to limit liability, which is still pending. Other suits have been filed against the Coast Guard for alleged lax enforcement of the roving watch requirement. After the sentencing, family members expressed disappointment, saying it was heart-wrenching and hoped the judge would listen to their pleas for justice.
