Two years after the Conception dive boat fire, family members of the 34 people who were killed are suing the U.S. Coast Guard for its role in the fire.
The suit was filed Wednesday in a Los Angeles Court, according to the L.A. Times. It alleges that the USCG “failed to enforce regulations and allowed the vessel to operate with substandard electrical and safety systems that led to the deaths” in the early morning fire on Sept. 2, 2019.
Last October the National Transportation Safety Board ruled that a lack of oversight from the boat’s owner -- Glen Fritzler of Truth Aquatics, Inc. -- led to the deaths of the 33 passengers and one crew member on a Labor Day weekend excursion near Santa Cruz Island.
“The NTSB board also said inadequate Coast Guard regulations contributed to the high death toll - such as a lack of a requirement for smoke detectors in all accommodation spaces and poor emergency escape arrangements,” according to the Associated Press. “The board [had previously] passed several recommendations to suggest to the Coast Guard.
The lawsuit against the Coast Guard comes at the same time that the boat’s captain, Jerry Boylan, faces 34 counts of seaman’s manslaughter for the deaths. Each count carries a potential 10-year prison term, according to the AP.
The Seaman’s Manslaughter Statute allows for federal charges against vessel operators, like Boylan, and corporate executives if a death results from misconduct, negligence or inattention during their duties, according to Cornell Law School.
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The Conception sank after the deadly fire. It is still considered the worst maritime disaster in modern history.
A few weeks after escaping the fire, surviving crew member Ryan Sims filed a lawsuit against Frtizler. In his suit Sim’s alleged that the boat was not seaworthy, the AP reported.
Sims’ lawsuit also alleged inadequate training of staff by Boylan, inadequate safety equipment and a lack of an escape route for emergencies.