Federal Appeals Court Upholds Conviction of Dive Boat Captain in Deadly Fire
A federal appeals court in California has upheld the manslaughter conviction of Captain Jerry Boylan, who was found guilty in connection with a 2019 fire aboard the Conception dive boat that resulted in the deaths of 34 people. The court denied Boylan's request for a rehearing, affirming his 2024 conviction and four-year prison sentence. Boylan, who has been free pending appeal, could soon begin serving his sentence. The court found that Boylan failed to appoint an overnight roving watch and did not conduct adequate fire safety drills, which prosecutors argued contributed to the disaster. The fire, which possibly started in a trash can, trapped passengers in a windowless bunk room, leading to their deaths by smoke inhalation and asphyxiation. 
