The company that owns a scuba dive boat that caught fire and sank off California...
- The company that owns a scuba dive boat that caught fire and sank off California killing 34 people, may seek to limit its liability by invoking a 19th Century law that has shielded vessel owners from costly disasters such as the sinking of the Titanic.
Accidents that occur on land with a similar death toll could lead to more than $100 million in damages, lawyers said. “It really is antithetical to most fair-minded people and jurists to allow this old defense to potentially let someone off scot free,” said Daniel Rose, an attorney with the Kreindler & Kreindler firm which represents victims in maritime accidents.
The act requires an owner to show its actions did not cause the accident, or as 19th Century maritime law put it, that the owner lacked “privity or knowledge” of the incident. Owners rely on evidence that their ship was properly equipped, the crew well-trained and procedures were being followed. “These days a master won’t scratch himself without asking the owner’s permission,” said Martin Davies, who teaches admiralty law at Tulane Law School.
The owner will try to pin blame solely on the crew and try to show the accident cannot be linked to something the owner did or should have done, legal experts said.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Lack of escape routes in California boat fire becomes focus as investigation intensifiesCalifornia Boat Fire: There is growing focus on the limited escape route on the boat where 34 died in the worst maritime disaster in modern California history
Read more »
Authorities recover the bodies of 33 people who died in the California dive-boat fire, 1 person still missingThe dive-boat Conception engulfed in flames at about 3 a.m. on Monday as 30 passengers were sleeping below deck.
Read more »
California boat fire investigators interview captain, crewFederal investigators on Wednesday interviewed the captain and crew of a dive bo...
Read more »
Crew told of 'harrowing' California boat fire that killed 34: NTSBThe crew of a dive ship that caught fire and sank off the California coast told ...
Read more »
The Latest: Dive boat owners seek to head off lawsuitsSANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on the scuba diving boat fire off the coast of California that is presumed to have killed 34 people (all times local): 3:45 p.m. The owners of...
Read more »
The owners of the boat in the California fire that killed 34 employ 'heartless' legal strategy that could to limit payouts to $0The Conception diving boat caught on fire off Santa Cruz Island Monday. Out of the 39 people on board, only five are believed to have survived.
Read more »