Conception dive boat captain to be arraigned in Los Angeles federal court

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The captain of the Conception dive boat is due in a Los Angeles federal courtroom Tuesday.

Jerry Boyland, of Santa Barbara, was in charge of the vessel when it caught fire in September 2019 near Santa Cruz Island. The fire killed 34 people and marked the deadliest marine disaster in California in modern history.

Boyland and other crew members survived. He's now facing nearly three dozen counts of "Seaman's Manslaughter." The indictment alleges Boyland caused the deaths by his "misconduct, negligence and inattention to his duties."

Boyland is expected to be arraigned during his appearance in court.

In December, Congress mandated that the Coast Guard review its regulations for small passenger vessels. The law, included in the National Defense Authorization Act, also added new requirements regarding fire detection and suppression.

In a February letter, Coast Guard Vice Admiral Scott Buschman said he agreed with seven recommendations suggested by the National Transportation Safety Board after the Conception tragedy. The recommendations include installing more comprehensive smoke detector systems, requiring safety management systems, upgrading emergency exits and making mandatory inspection checks on roving watches.