yacht on fire today

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Luxury superyacht destroyed in massive fire after exploding while moored at Hamilton Island Marina in the Whitsundays

A luxury superyacht docked at a marina in the Whitsundays has exploded into a ball of flames, spewing enormous plumes of smoke into the air and blanketing nearby vessels.

A luxury superyacht docked in the Whitsundays has been completely destroyed in a massive inferno after a blaze ignited on board the high end vessel.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Service crews were called to Hamilton Island Marina at about 10:45am on Monday to find the luxury boat fully engulfed in flames.

Giant plumes of thick black smoke were seen spewing into the air, blanketing nearby vessels.

It's understood no one was onboard when the fire broke out, however a man in his 40s and a man in his 60s have been assessed for smoke inhalation. 

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A super yacht has been destroyed by fire on Hamilton Island. The cause is unclear. Police say no one was on board when it broke out. @9NewsQueensland pic.twitter.com/pcp8miN9Ma — Jordan Fabris (@JordanFabris9) October 24, 2022

A QFES spokesman told skynews.com.au it took firefighters almost two hours to contain the blaze.

They remained at the scene alongside police to monitor the "active flames" and "smoke" as they tried to stop the giant vessel from sinking. 

The cause of the blaze is not yet clear and investigations are continuing.

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Authorities arrest 13 on private yacht for allegedly sparking devastating forest fire: 'We are outraged'

P eople continue to launch fireworks near highly flammable areas year after year — with disastrous results. And now, one group of firework-happy individuals on a private yacht in Greece are learning their lesson the hard way.

In June, 13 crew and seven passengers on a privately chartered yacht set off unauthorized fireworks from their ship. As far as officials can tell, the pyrotechnics then sparked a major forest fire on the island of Hydra, according to CNN . 

"We are outraged," Hydra Mayor George Koukoudakis said on state TV, per CNN. "If it's true, it is something that really saddens me."

The Maritime Executive reported that the fire burned through 3,000 acres of pine forest, requiring six aircraft and two firefighting teams during a time when the teams were already needed elsewhere. Greece had issued an extreme fire risk warning and a burn ban, which the passengers and crew ignored.

After another ship reported seeing the fireworks launch from the yacht, authorities met the passengers and crew at an Athens marina. There, they arrested the 13 crew members; however, all of the passengers quietly returned home the following morning, per the Maritime Executive.

Reckless deployment of fireworks is frustratingly common, even though the fire risk is well-documented. Each year in the U.S., nearly twice as many wildfires are reported on July 4 as on any other day, PBS reports. 

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And fireworks aren't the only threat — wildfires have been sparked by everything from illegal camping fires to gender reveal parties. Worse, these human-created fires burn more than twice as fast as naturally occurring wildfires, according to research by the American Geophysical Union, as reported by Science.org .

Wildfires — and their corresponding intense temperatures, air pollution, and lingering destruction — have also been linked to negative health impacts. These include decreased mental health outcomes, pregnancy complications , higher risks of heart and lung issues, threats to biodiversity , and more.

If the Greek yacht's crewmembers are convicted of arson, the Maritime Executive reports, they "could face serious penalties, including as much as 20 years of prison time." Hopefully their case deters the next group of would-be firestarters, and encourages a pyrotechnic-free vacation instead.

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Authorities arrest 13 on private yacht for allegedly sparking devastating forest fire: 'We are outraged' first appeared on The Cool Down .

Firefighters tackle huge blaze on superyacht in Torquay Marina

Three fire engines were dispatched following 47 calls to reports of the fire on Saturday afternoon. The crews reported that large plumes of smoke and the blaze were visible from some distance as they rushed to the scene.

Sunday 29 May 2022 02:04, UK

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Firefighters are tackling a huge blaze on a superyacht in Torquay Marina in Devon.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service says it has five fire appliances at the scene of the blaze which has ripped through the 85ft (25m) vessel, reportedly worth about £6m

Eyewitnesses described a loud bang followed by large plumes of smoke and flames which were visible from some distance.

A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman said: "Police were called at 12.10pm today to Princess Pier in Torquay following reports of a fire on a yacht moored in the marina.

"The boat is believed to be well alight and had broken from the mooring. It has now been secured by the fire service near the pier."

People were evacuated from the immediate area by firefighters.

"Emergency services remain at the scene where the incident is ongoing," police added.

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"There have been no reported injuries at this time.

"Members of the public are also urged to avoid the area and beaches are being cleared by officers for public safety."

The fire service said the yacht contains about 8,000 litres of diesel fuel and nearby residents have been advised to keep doors and windows shut.

The coastguard said it was assisting police with a full closure of Torquay sea front.

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Luxury Yacht Destroyed After Catching Fire in New Bedford

The u.s. coast guard said it received a report just after 5:30 p.m. that the vessel was on fire., by kaitlin mckinley becker and kathryn sotnik • published august 30, 2021 • updated on august 31, 2021 at 12:34 am.

An 82-foot boat was destroyed Monday night after a fire broke out on the vessel while it was docked in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

The U.S. Coast Guard responded after receiving a report shortly after 5:30 p.m. that a vessel was on fire at Popes Islands Fleet Marina. The New Bedford and Fairhaven fire departments also rushed to the scene.

STAY IN THE KNOW

#HappeningNow the @USCG received a report at 5:37pm of an 82 foot vessel on fire in #NewBedford MA. Coast Guard Station Menemsha is on scene along side @NewBedfordPD and @FairhavenFire departments. No pollution or injuries have been reported at this time. pic.twitter.com/TnxG4c4hZI — USCGNortheast (@USCGNortheast) August 31, 2021

Flames could be seen shooting off the luxury yacht, sending thick, black smoke billowing into the sky. Later, once emergency crews got the blaze under control, the multi-million dollar boat's charred remains were visible.

Luis Frias, who works nearby, said there was tons of black smoke in the area.

"It was just smoke, black smoke, that was it," he said. "It's a huge boat. It's a multi-million dollar boat and I think it's not even a year old."

The yacht had 500 gallons of fuel on board, which presented an added challenge for firefighters.

"Pretty much 100-percent of the boat was involved in the fire and the water they were putting on it was doing nothing," said Alan Wolfe, who owns a boat nearby. "It felt like a movie. I just feel sorry for the owners because I know them and it's a very expensive boat."

This is what’s left of the yacht tonight here at Fleet Marina. Plenty of foam on it from New Bedford Municipal Airport— thankfully no injuries New Bedford Fire Chief says. Investigating who was on yacht before fire. Fire started below deck. pic.twitter.com/UqNejbA2rN — Kathryn Sotnik NBC10 Boston (@KatNBCBoston) August 31, 2021

In the aftermath of the fire, it appeared as if it had snowed on the water due to the massive amount of foam.

New Bedford Fire Chief Scott Krueger said they used all of their foam and were forced to call in two more foam trucks from the New Bedford airport.

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A floating boom was used in the water to prevent pollution. The Coast Guard and environmental police on scene said no major pollution had been reported.

The boat is reportedly named Miss Dunia, according to our affiliate WJAR . The fire started below its deck, the chief said. It wasn't immediately clear who, if anyone, was on the boat before flames broke out.

“I’m not exactly clear what was going on at the time of the fire," Krueger said. "There might have been people coming and going, I’m not sure. We’re investigating all that.”

No injuries were reported, the Coast Guard and New Bedford fire chief said.

The cause of the fire is not known at this time. An investigation is ongoing.

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Fisherman hero hailed after saving 3 people, 2 dogs from yacht fire

The fisherman came to the rescue as the yacht went up in flames unexpectedly.

A New Hampshire lobster fisherman saved three people and two dogs from a burning yacht near New Castle on Saturday.

An investigation is currently underway into what caused the 70-foot yacht to burn and eventually sink, authorities said.

"We don't know what caused the fire and we probably never will because the boat burned down to the waterline and there is nothing left of the boat," Sgt. Steve O'Conner of the New Hampshire State Police Marine Patrol told WMUR-ABC.

Tom Hadley, from Hollis, New Hampshire, said he had noticed a bit of smoke coming from a yacht he had passed on his small fishing boat, and decided to turn around to offer his help.

The yacht, at the mouth of Little Harbor on the Piscataqua River, had burst into flames by the time Hadley came back to it. He told WMUR that he could see three people and two dogs standing on a platform in the stern of their boat.

Hadley said that they were holding pool noodles, so he yelled for them to jump into the water and then dumped his own lobster traps into the harbor to make room for the rescues.

"At first I hauled a lady on board and then we put the two dogs on board" Hadley told WMUR. "And then a younger man was half in, I hauled him over the side."

Hadley said he then saw a small fishing boat which he called over to help a third man who was clinging to the side as the heat coming from the boat increased.

"If there were an explosion the thought of being showered with burning fiberglass was not too appealing," Hadley said.

The three individuals were taken to the dock of the Wentworth Marina before being brought to Portsmouth Hospital, where they were treated, released and reunited with their dogs.

New Hampshire State Police reported that the two dogs were safe and unharmed.

A statement from the New Castle Fire Department only reported one minor injury among the three escaping the fire.

"If you ever think somebody is in distress out there, it doesn't hurt to cruise on over and check it out to make sure that they're OK," Hadley said.

The New Hampshire State Police received a 911 call about the boat fire just after 4 p.m., and was on site within minutes, according to a statement from the department.

According to police, the yacht, "Elusive", was headed toward the Wentworth Marina went one of the passengers noticed smoke below deck. The three passengers reported to police that the smoke had completely filled the boat within minutes.

Jarrod Tubbs, 33, of Jupiter, Florida, Kitt Watson, 67, and Diane Watson, 57, both of New Canaan, Connecticut -- a couple and their first mate -- lived on the yacht. As the boat has been completely lost, so have all of their belongings.

"This was just arms are open, come on board, get warm, we're going to take care of you and it really restored my faith in humanity," Kitt Watson told WMUR-ABC.

Marine Patrol, New Hampshire fire departments from Newington and Rye, the Kittery Harbormaster, and the Salisbury Fire Department from Massachusetts, assisted at the scene, state police said.

The tide pushed the burning yacht away from the coast, and after efforts by several agencies were unsuccessful, it sank in approximately 75-feet deep water, state police said. Within two hours of the initial 911 call, the boat had been submerged and will not be recovered.

The U.S. Coast Guard and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Protection have been monitoring for any excess oil spillage from the sunken yacht.

A spokesperson for the New Hampsire Department of Environmental Protection told ABC News that a sheen of diesel fuel was seen as a result of the incident, but that crews are not aware of any shoreline impacts.

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Virginia Beach yacht, 75-foot, catches fire, 3 people on board rescued in dramatic fashion

The yacht was towed by the virginia beach fire department, assisting the coast guard, to fort story, a military base on virginia beach..

A 75-foot-yacht off the coast of Cape Henry in Virginia Beach caught fire, forcing its occupants to jump into the water, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

Mayday call for "a recreational vessel on fire" came in around 3:30 a.m. Friday, a spokesperson of the U.S. Coast Guard told USA TODAY over the phone.

Motor Vessel Savage, a 75-foot-yacht, was on fire about two miles off the coast of Cape Henry.

Three adults who were on board the vessel jumped into the water and were later rescued by a pilot boat, said U.S.C.G.

Dramatic rescue: Video shows 7 people being rescued after seaplane crashes near PortMiami: Watch

Three people aboard jumped into waters, rescued from burning yacht

"All three were picked up within approximately 10 minutes by pilot boats and no injuries are recorded," said the U.S.C.G.

The Virginia Beach Fire Department, assisting the Coast Guard, towed the boat to Fort Story, a military base on Virginia Beach, where it is still smoldering.

The fire department is fighting the fire from the shore, said the spokesperson, adding that the vessel is against a rock. The U.S.C.G. is also monitoring the situation, with a boat on scene.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, said the U.S.C.G.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @saman_shafiq7.

Large Yacht Goes Up in Flames in Waters Off Miami Beach

Miami-dade fire rescue said they assisted miami beach fire rescue in responding to the blaze, by nbc 6 • published october 28, 2022 • updated on october 28, 2022 at 2:00 pm.

Rescue crews responded after a large yacht caught fire off Miami Beach Friday.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said they assisted Miami Beach Fire Rescue in responding to the blaze.

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Officials said there were no injuries.

Footage showed the boat on fire as a cloud of black smoke rose into the air.

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Other footage showed the yacht severely damaged after the flames were extinguished.

The cause of the fire was unknown.

Check back with NBC 6 for updates.

This article tagged under:

Yacht fire: Three leap in water, rescued as blaze strikes in waters off New Castle, NH

NEW CASTLE — Three people escaped from a 70-foot yacht and were rescued by a Good Samaritan  on another private boat before emergency crews arrived Saturday.

"Whatever happened on the boat happened fast, and they had to jump in the water," Portsmouth Fire Chief Todd Germain said. The incident involving the 2007 Marlow yacht known as "Elusive," started close to Fort Stark , he said. It was reported about 4:22 p.m.

'Heat was intense': Lobsterman tells burning yacht rescue story in own words, with video

The trio sustained minor injuries and mild hypothermia and were transported to Wentworth Marina, where they were treated by responders from the New Castle Fire Department and taken to Portsmouth Regional Hospital, according to the chief. New Hampshire Marine Patrol reported two adults, ages 67 and 57, both of New Canaan, Connecticut, and a 33-year-old from Jupiter, Florida, were all treated and released.

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Marine Patrol reported "a passenger noticed black smoke below deck" and "within minutes the boat completely filled with smoke" prompting the three people and two family dogs to jump overboard. The two dogs were rescued as well, according to Amber Lagace, spokesperson for Marine Patrol.

The billowing smoke from the yacht was visible from long distances. The Marlow yacht drifted to the area of the 2KR buoy where it sank in state of Maine waters, according to Germain. Marine Patrol reported multiple agencies attempted to save the boat before it sank.

Germain said a crew of five from the city Fire Department's Marine 1 fire boat was the first with firefighting capability to arrive after the fire was reported. He said additional fire boats from Newington and Salisbury, Massachusetts, were also called to help. The Rye Fire Department sent a jet ski to provide assistance, according to Germain.

The Coast Guard responded, with its crews working to direct other boats away from the fire, according to Petty Officer Third Class Emma Fliszar.

Germain said the cause of the fire was not immediately known.

Fliszar said the Coast Guard is worried about pollution from fuel and was investigating. New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services also responded as did the Kittery harbor master.

Seacoast news: Download the Seacoastonline mobile app  and the Fosters.com mobile app  to stay connected.

On Sunday, the Coast Guard and environmental services staff were closely monitoring the area where the boat sank. Fliszar said Sunday morning it was not immediately known if the fuel remained in the yacht or had leaked. 

Legace on Sunday said one of the Marine Patrol officer spoke with the couple who owned the yacht. 

"They are doing fine physically, but are mentally still trying to process everything," she said. "Their dogs (golden doodles) are doing well. This boat was their home."

Anyone who was a witness or has information is asked by New Hampshire State Police to contact Marine Patrol Sgt. Stephen O’Connor at Stephen.J.O’[email protected] or 603-227-2117.

Karen Dandurant contributed to this report.

Photos, video show large yacht on fire in harbor of UK port

• A yacht worth some $7.6 million was engulfed in flames on Saturday in Torquay, England.
• Dramatic photos show the yacht, which appears to be a Princess Y85, on fire.
• A witness told Insider that small explosions could be heard from the yacht as the fire raged on.

A yacht worth some $7.6 million was engulfed in flames on Saturday while moored in a UK port.

The ship prompted a large emergency response in the town of Torquay on England's southern coast.

Dramatic photos posted to social media showed the 85ft ship ablaze.

—Grace (@Grace31307003) May 28, 2022

The ship appears to be a Princess Y85, an eight-person ship with two engines and luxury fittings. This marketing video shows the details:

The British yacht broker TWW says a new Y85 ought to cost around $7.6 million .

A witness, Grace Kedzior-MacDonough, told Insider that the yacht caught fire around midday.

"We saw black smoke so everyone started to crowd around," she said.

Related stories

By the time police and firefighters arrived to confront the blaze, the boat had burned through its moorings and was floating in the harbor, Kedzior-MacDonough said.

By then, she said, "the fire had got very out of hand."

A press officer for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue said the force was first called at 11.57 a.m.

She could not say when the first responders arrived, but an online statement detailing a response of several crews was issued at 1.05 p.m.

Kedzior-MacDonough said that several small explosions could be heard from the yacht as the fire continued. Fire officials said the yacht contained some 8,000 liters of diesel when it caught fire.

Local police cordoned off the area, closed nearby roads, and asked people to close their windows to avoid inhaling the smoke, per an online incident report .

Later images showed that the ship had stopped burning so intensely.

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WATCH: Passengers jump into water as yacht goes up in flames off Miami Beach

Rosh Lowe , Reporter

Trent Kelly , Reporter

Chris Gothner , Digital Journalist

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A group on a company retreat had to jump into the water and onto nearby boats after their chartered yacht went up in flames off Miami Beach Friday.

Fire boats responded to the burning vessel, located off Miami Beach Marina near Government Cut, at around noon.

The 70-foot boat was chartered for a company retreat and had many onboard that were traveling from overseas.

After the boat caught fire, the passengers, who came to South Florida from around the world, were told to jump off the boat.

Video shows them jumping off, one by one, to escape the flames.

“I thought they were kidding at first but then I realized this is how we are getting off this boat,” passenger Jamie Maloney.

The passengers had no idea how bad the fire was until after they got off and headed to shore.

“There was the captain of the tourist boat and he is saying jump to my boat now,” a passenger from Serbia said. “We don’t see the whole back of the boat on fire.”

Martin Montano, a good Samaritan that was working on another charter boat nearby, jumped into a tender to help save those on board.

“The only thing that I could think of was go and help these people,” said Montano. So, I show up and I see everybody, they’re all just kind of like, what’s going on?”

No one on board was hurt.

“We are very lucky, our captain was amazing,” Maloney said. “It’s due to him, the captain saved most of our belongings.”

The group later continued their retreat on other boats.

Copyright 2022 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.

About the Authors

Reporter Rosh Lowe has been covering news for nearly two decades in South Florida. He joined Local 10 in 2021.

Trent Kelly

Trent Kelly is an award-winning multimedia journalist who joined the Local 10 News team in June 2018. Trent is no stranger to Florida. Born in Tampa, he attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he graduated with honors from the UF College of Journalism and Communications.

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No good answers following boat fire in alaska.

Last January, the Qualifier 105, a small passenger boat, was stored at the Northern Enterprises Boat Yard in Homer, Alaska. The vessel was ashore and on blocks for the winter, but when it was in the water, it was used for everything from marine survey and oceanographic research to environmental clean-up.

Welders were aboard the 100-foot-long vessel performing some aluminum hot work, cleaning up the area around a fuel tank that was repaired and tested the day prior, when a fire broke out in a stateroom below the main deck.

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The local fire department put out the fire, and no one was injured, but the damage was extensive and the vessel, which was about 54 years old, was declared a $1.2 million loss.

This week, the NTSB issued a final report following an extensive investigation and it turns out that it wasn't the welding that started the fire. Investigators found no signs of a fire after or while conducting the work even though the welders were working about eight feet away from the spot where the fire was first discovered.

Instead, the NTSB concluded the fire was caused by an undetermined electrical source that ignited a stateroom ceiling. The safety agency said the fire raged, and the damage was extensive because of the "substantial use" of combustible materials throughout the vessel.

While the NTSB "could not definitively determine that stray welding current caused the fire," the agency highlighted the precautions to take when stray welding current occurs in its final report.

Stray welding current happens when current goes through unintended conductors, like metal framing or wires, and back to the return terminal of a welding machine, which can cause fires by overheating wires.

To avoid potential fires, unlike this one, according to the NTSB, maintenance personnel should place the welding machine's work clamp (return current clamp) as close to the point of welding as possible--it's standard industry practice.

On the Qualifier 105, the welding machine work clamp was about ten feet from the point of welding during the hot work. The NTSB said the return current had to travel through the vessel's aluminum structure and/or conducting wires from the spool gun's electrode back to the work clamp.

It's possible that the aluminum structure could have served as a conductor, and the resulting current may have found its way into the vessel's electrical system, where an electrical wire above the stateroom could have served as an unintended conductor and become overheated, causing the fire.

But, there were also several wires and electrical boxes in the stateroom that may have been energized and become a potential electrical ignition source due to a fault. However, the vessel owner told the NTSB the boat didn't have any prior mechanical or electrical issues when it came out of the water.

Thus, the NTSB couldn't definitively determine that stray welding current was the exact ignition source.

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Fire torches 45-foot vessel on San Francisco Bay; 2 boaters escape

By Carlos Castañeda

Updated on: July 8, 2024 / 4:24 PM PDT / CBS San Francisco

Two boaters and a dog managed to escape unharmed Monday afternoon when a fire destroyed the boat they were on in San Francisco Bay.   

The fire burned the 45-foot vessel off Westpoint Harbor in Redwood City at around 1 p.m. The San Francisco Fire Department said one of its rescue boats was at the scene extinguishing the fire. The department cited the U.S Coast Guard as saying the two occupants abandoned the boat, named Lucid Dream, once it caught fire and were rescued by a good Samaritan vessel.

The owner of the boat, Vicki Topp of Big Sur, told KPIX that she, another person and a dog were rescued by the Coast Guard and Redwood City firefighters.

Coast Guard Petty Officer Ryan Graves told KPIX the Bayliner sailing vessel was fully engulfed when a Coast Guard helicopter arrived and located the two boaters and the dog in the water.

The helicopter was not used because of the good Samaritan rescue, Graves said. Medics from the Redwood City Fire Department evaluated the two boaters on shore.

The cause of the fire was not immediately determined.

Carlos E. Castañeda is a senior editor of news and social media for CBS Bay Area.

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Stonington yacht club fire injures one, threatens Amtrak power lines

Stonington ― Fast acting borough firefighters prevented a maintenance shed fire Monday afternoon from damaging overheard power lines that serve not only Eversource customers but the adjacent Amtrak rail line.

About 1:30 p.m., police received calls of fire in a shed at the Wadawanuck Club at 196 Water St.

Stonington Borough Fire Chief Jeff Hoadley said he arrived first and found heavy fire coming from the shed, which is directly under the power lines. Hoadley said he was immediately concerned the fire would damage and take down the overhead wires that carry 13,000 volts of electricity for Eversource and 26,000 volts that serve Amtrak. If the that occurred, service between Boston and New York would be interrupted.

Hoadley said the next firefighter to arrive, volunteer Hunter Wilcox, began protecting the wires by extinguishing the fire below. Hoadley said firefighters were able to get the blaze under control in about 15 minutes after putting 750 gallons of water on the fire. The shed and its contents were destroyed.

A maintenance worker who was in the shed suffered burns and was taken by Mystic River Ambulance to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital. The extent of his injuries was not immediately known.

Hoadley said the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Also responding to the fire were the Pawcatuck and Wequetequock fire departments, Stonington Ambulance, Stonington police, L+M Hospital paramedics and the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The DEEP responded as the shed is located less than 200 feet from Stonington Harbor.

Editor’s note: This story corrects the amount of water used to extinguish the fire.

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Ex-Husband Starts Uncontrollable Blaze on a Georgia Boat in Disturbing Revenge Plot

An "evil, evil" man with a reported history of violence became the prime suspect in the double murder of Karen Barnes and Larry Ford aboard a liveaboard trawler.

A shocking double murder on a liveaboard trawler rocked those living around the wetlands of St. Mary’s River in Georgia. A quick-moving investigation by local and state authorities would not only lead to a suspect with a documented history of violence but a deadly face-off between them and an “evil, evil” killer.

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Watch  Deadly Waters with Captain Lee  on Oxygen Saturdays at 9/8c and next day on Peacock. 

It all began on August 12, 2012, on a blackwater river in the city of St. Mary’s, about 40 miles north of Jacksonville, Florida. Camden County dispatchers received what marine journalist Peter Swanson called a “haunting” 911 call at about 3:00 a.m., hearing the muffled moans and screams of an unknown person, as obtained and published by Deadly Waters with Captain Lee , airing Saturdays at 9/8c on Oxygen .  

Though the caller provided no information, investigators traced the phone to the St. Mary’s Boat Yard off New Point Peter Road, according to Detective Misty Gilliland of the St. Mary’s Police Department.

What happened to Karen Barnes' boat?

“As I come to the middle of the causeway, all I could see was this blazing inferno in the river,” Gilliland said. “My stomach just sunk to the floor.”

The heat coming from the anchored vessel was so severe that responders could feel it from the shore, making it impossible to approach the boat safely. Without knowing the cause of the fire — and since water could have exacerbated the blaze — authorities had no choice but to wait for the fire to die. 

It was clear that, if anyone was on board, there were no survivors.

“If someone was living on this vessel, it’s essentially like a house fire on water, and there’s the possibility of multiple victims onboard,” said series host  Captain Lee .

Authorities soon learned the 37-foot houseboat was a customized Great Harbour Trawler named “Premium Time.” Later confirmed by the boat’s H.I.N. (hull identification number), authorities gleaned the boat belonged to 55-year-old woman Karen Barnes. According to marina locals, she’d recently been spending time with her friend Larry Ford.

As the boat continued to burn, police attempted to contact Ford to no avail. By 6:30 a.m., three hours after responders were called to the fire, the flames had settled enough for authorities to cut the anchor and bring the boat back to the dock.  

“The fire wasn’t fully extinguished until about 12:15 that afternoon,” Gilliland told Deadly Waters. “Quite a long time.”

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G.B.I. (Georgia Bureau of Investigation) Special Agent in Charge Cathy Mausolf said that by then, there was “virtually nothing left of the boat.”

Who was on the Premium Time boat?

On the afternoon of the blaze, investigators discovered burned bone fragments on the boat, which were sent to Savannah, Georgia, for a post-mortem examination. DNA testing confirmed the remains belonged to Karen Barnes.

Barnes’ sister, Lesha White, told Deadly Waters that news of her sister’s death was “heart-wrenching,” a sentiment shared by those who knew the decedent best. Susan Graham, a close friend and member of the Great Harbour Trawler community, said the news left everyone “in shock.”

According to White, Barnes came from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and was the oldest of four children. She’d joined White in St. Mary’s, where the younger sister helped her find work as an event planner.

“She loved the beach; she loved to go looking for shells, kayaking, swimming,” said White. “She loved all of it.”

Meanwhile, investigators — still sifting through the boat’s ash — found shell casings on board, leading them to believe that Barnes was shot to death. At the time, they were still looking for her male friend Larry Ford, who — according to Swanson — was a boat technician who frequented the waters of southeast Georgia.

“Larry was just the nicest man; just real laid-back,” said White. “He would help Karen, and she would take him food. He just kinda was there [and] would help anybody with whatever they need[ed] done.”

A medical examiner ultimately contacted investigators, informing them that they had bones belonging not only to Barnes but to Larry Ford, too.

Who was Karen Barnes’ former husband David Trauger?

Locals described Ford as a great guy, but according to witnesses, Barnes was recently “concerned” about her ex-husband, 67-year-old David Trauger, according to Det. Gilliland. The couple had only divorced that very summer.

Barnes and Trauger met at a restaurant in 2009 when Barnes still worked as an event planner, journalist Peter Swanson told Deadly Waters.

“David Trauger, he had an insurance company in Pennsylvania,” said Swanson. “He was financially well off.”

Trauger already owned Premium Time when meeting Barnes, a trawler worth more than half a million dollars, thanks to its customized interior and an additional tender (a small boat used to transport people between the primary boat and shore).  

The couple married only months after meeting, and according to White, Trauger’s financial status allowed Barnes to stop working.

But the honeymoon stage didn’t last long.

“Karen was good to David, but David was an alcoholic,” Graham told Deadly Waters. “Karen did say she would never have gotten involved with him if she knew he was an alcoholic.”

White said when Trauger drank, he was “an evil, evil, hateful person.”

Evidence points to David Trauger in Karen Barnes' death

Loved ones and records helped investigators discover Trauger reportedly had jealous fits of rage and went as far as to injure Barnes’ arm so that she required a cast.

In 2012, not long before the double homicide, Barnes reported that Trauger tried to run their vehicle off the road as a form of domestic violence, according to divorce attorney Melissa Cruthirds.

“At that point, Karen came to our firm to file a divorce against her husband, David Trauger,” Cruthirds told Deadly Waters. “She had been in this abusive relationship with David for several years, and she wanted out.”

Both parties worked it out so that Trauger would keep his homes, properties, and business while Barnes was awarded alimony and Premium Time. But the alleged abuse continued, and even after they split, Trauger allegedly stalked Barnes when both resided on Jekyll Island, Georgia, about 50 miles on the coast north of St. Mary’s.

There was a “turning point,” Det. Gilliland said, after a June 2012 incident when Trauger allegedly attempted to break into the Premium Time, though Barnes had changed the locks. The boat was supposed to have been Trauger’s retirement plan, and when Barnes was awarded the trawler, he went into “a downward spiral.”

“He really wanted his boat back,” said Gilliland.

Around that time, Barnes met Jekyll Island regular Larry Ford, and he presumably hoped to help Barnes by giving her a handgun for self-defense, a firearm never found with the boat. Ford also helped Barnes take Premium Time to St. Mary’s in an attempt to hide from the embattled ex-husband, and he lived nearby to make her feel safe.

“They selected the waters out front of St. Mary’s Marine Services’ Boatyard because it was a good place to hide,” Swanson told Deadly Waters. “But David somehow manages to find them.”

The stalking continued, with documented reports that Trauger followed Barnes in a grocery store and allegedly boarded the Premium Time illegally to tamper with the boat’s steering. According to Atty. Cruthirds, Barnes applied for a stay-away order, but the sheriff’s office couldn’t locate Trauger to serve him with papers. 

Barnes’ sister, Lesha White, said Barnes stayed with her for her protection just before the double murder, stating she had “a bad feeling” on Aug. 12, 2012, when Barnes left to retrieve some clothes.

What happened to David Trauger?

Multiple agencies helped search for Trauger, the sole suspect in the double homicide, and considered him armed and dangerous. Media published the suspect’s face, and a B.O.L.O. (Be on the Lookout) was issued for Trauger and his vehicle. Eventually, they found Trauger’s truck parked at a local gas station.

Responders located a trail in the woods behind the gas station. They followed it to several personal items, including a wallet and a bloody gun holster, all of which were connected to Trauger.

Searches continued through the day and resumed the next day, though there was no sign of the murder suspect. But on Aug. 15, 2012, at around 9:00 a.m., neighbors from a nearby apartment complex reported they spotted Trauger, who was allegedly staying there.

By the time Det. Misty Gilliland and the others retreated from the forest and arrived at the complex, law enforcement had the place surrounded. Soon, Trauger stepped outside.

Trauger’s response was to draw a handgun and fire one shot in law enforcement’s direction, prompting G.B.I. authorities to fire back, subsequently killing Trauger on the scene. According to overwhelming evidence found after Trauger’s death — including numerous suicide letters and last-wish memos — it was determined that Trauger’s death was suicide by cop.

White told Deadly Waters that she was “disappointed” that her sister’s killer died before hearing the impact the murders had on her life

What investigators believed happened on the night of the Barnes/Ford murders

On Aug. 16, 2012, three days into the investigation, detectives found a Jon boat — a small, flat-bottomed boat commonly used in swamp regions — belonging to Trauger. It had been spray painted black, and had several cinderblocks and gas cans found on board.

“He put cinder blocks in the front of the boat, and this is believed to have been a way of keeping the boat from slapping as it was being pushed through the water, and thus, drawing attention to it,” Swanson explained.

Investigators believed Trauger operated the Jon boat to Premium Time before breaking his way in and shooting Barnes and Ford. At some point, Barnes called 911, but it was already too late. Trauger then doused the boat with gasoline and set fire to Premium Time.

According to White, loved ones “lost a really wonderful person.”

Watch all-new episodes of Deadly Waters with Captain Lee , airing Saturdays at 9/8c on Oxygen .  

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California news | prosecutors seeking restitution for families of 34 killed in conception dive boat fire.

LOS ANGELES — Prosecutors are seeking restitution for the families of 34 people killed in a scuba dive boat fire in 2019 that was the deadliest maritime disaster in recent U.S. history.

A judge will determine the amount on Thursday during a hearing in federal court in Los Angeles. The proceeding comes nearly five years after the Sept. 2, 2019, tragedy off the central California coast, which prompted changes to maritime regulations , congressional reform and several ongoing civil lawsuits.

The captain of the Conception, Jerry Boylan, was convicted last year of one count of misconduct or neglect of ship officer following a 10-day trial in federal court in downtown Los Angeles. The charge is a pre-Civil War statute colloquially known as seaman’s manslaughter that was designed to hold steamboat captains and crew responsible for maritime disasters.

He was sentenced to four years in prison and three years of supervised release . He is out on bond and must report to the Bureau of Prisons by Aug. 8. His appeal is ongoing.

FILE – Defendant Jerry Boylan, captain of the dive boat, Conception, leaves federal court in Los Angeles, May 2, 2024. Prosecutors are seeking restitution for the families of 34 people killed in the boat fire in 2019 off the California coast. A judge will determine the amount on Thursday, July 11, during a hearing in federal court in Los Angeles. Boylan’s criminal negligence as the captain of the boat led to the deadliest maritime disaster in recent U.S. history. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)

FILE – In this photo provided by the Ventura County Fire Department, VCFD firefighters respond to a fire aboard the Conception dive boat fire in the Santa Barbara Channel off the coast of Southern California on Sept. 2, 2019. A scuba dive boat captain is scheduled to be sentenced by a federal judge Thursday, May 2, 2024, on a conviction of criminal negligence after 34 people died in the fire aboard the vessel nearly five years ago. (Ventura County Fire Department via AP, File)

FILE – Barbara Chan, whose brother Raymond “Scott” Chan was among the 34 victims of a fire on the scuba dive boat Conception, holds up a photo of the victims, Oct. 24, 2023, in Los Angeles. The captain of the boat is scheduled to be sentenced by a federal judge Thursday, May 2, 2024, on a conviction of criminal negligence. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun, File)

FILE – A standing memorial to the people who died aboard the Conception dive boat is seen along the coast near the Santa Barbara, Calif., harbor on July 12, 2020. Federal prosecutors are seeking justice for 34 people killed in a fire aboard the Conception in 2019. The trial against Captain Jerry Boylan begins Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, in Los Angeles with jury selection. (AP Photo/John Antczak, File)

FILE – Photographs of loved ones lost in the fire on the scuba dive boat Conception are placed at a memorial on the Santa Barbara Harbor on Sept. 4, 2019, in Santa Barbara, Calif. Federal prosecutors are seeking justice for 34 people killed in a fire aboard the Conception in 2019. The trial against Captain Jerry Boylan begins Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, in Los Angeles with jury selection. (AP Photo/Christian Monterrosa, File)

FILE – A woman gets emotional after placing flowers at a memorial for the victims of the Conception in the Santa Barbara Harbor on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019, in Santa Barbara, Calif. Federal prosecutors are seeking justice for 34 people killed in a fire aboard the scuba dive boat Conception in 2019. The trial against Captain Jerry Boylan begins Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, in Los Angeles with jury selection. (AP Photo/Christian Monterrosa, File)

FILE – National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) shows the wreckage of the dive boat Conception on a dock in Southern California. Federal prosecutors are seeking justice for 34 people killed in a fire aboard the Conception in 2019. The trial against Captain Jerry Boylan begins Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, in Los Angeles with jury selection. (NTSB via AP, File)

In this Sept. 2, 2019, file photo provided by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, the dive boat Conception is engulfed in flames after a deadly fire broke out aboard the commercial scuba diving vessel off the Southern California Coast. Federal authorities are expected to vote Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020 on what likely sparked a fire aboard a scuba dive boat last year that killed 34 people off the coast of Southern California. The pre-dawn blaze aboard the Conception is one of California’s deadliest maritime disasters, prompting both criminal and safety investigations into the Sept. 2, 2019 tragedy that claimed the lives of 33 passengers and one crew member on a Labor Day weekend expedition near an island off Santa Barbara. (Santa Barbara County Fire Department via AP, File)

Conception commercial dive boat victims Kaustbh Nirmal and Dr. Sanjeeri Deopujari of Norwalk, Connecticut. Attorneys held a press conference announcing the filing of a wrongful death and survival action claim on behalf of three passengers and one crew member, including Normal and Deopujari, killed in the Conception commercial dive boat fire off the coast of Santa Barbara, CA Monday, January 13, 2020. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Conception commercial dive boat victim Yulia Krashennaya of Berkeley, CA. Attorneys held a press conference announcing the filing of a wrongful death and survival action claim on behalf of three passengers and one crew member, including Krashennaya, killed in the Conception commercial dive boat fire off the coast of Santa Barbara, CA Monday, January 13, 2020. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Lisa Fiedler of Mill Valley was on the dive boat Conception at the Channel Islands when it caught fire early Monday. (Photo from Facebook)

Conception commercial dive boat victim Alexandra Kurtz. Attorneys held a press conference announcing the filing of a wrongful death and survival action claim on behalf of three passengers and one crew member, including Kurtz, killed in the Conception commercial dive boat fire off the coast of Santa Barbara, CA Monday, January 13, 2020. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Jeffery Goodman, left, attorney, Robert Mongeluzzi, Attorney and Robert Glassman, attorney, at a press conference announcing the filing of a wrongful death and survival action claim on behalf of three passengers and one crew member killed in the Conception commercial dive boat fire off the coast of Santa Barbara, CA Monday, January 13, 2020. Pictured at right are victims Yulia Krashennaya, of Berkeley, CA and Kaustbh Nirmal and Dr. Sanjeeri Deopujari of Norwalk, Connecticut. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

FILE – This Monday, Sept. 2, 2019, file image taken from video released by the U.S. Coast Guard shows a Coast Guard Sector San Diego MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter video screen, as crew responds to the vessel “Conception” boat fire off Santa Cruz Island near Santa Barbara, Calif. Federal investigators say all six crew members were asleep when a fire broke out in the scuba diving boat off the coast of California, killing 34 people. (U.S. Coast Guard via AP, File)

FILE – This Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019, file photo provided by Santa Barbara County shows divers and support crews from many agencies working the scene of the Conception dive boat fire off Santa Cruz Island, Calif. Federal investigators say all six crew members were asleep when a fire broke out in the scuba diving boat off the coast of California, killing 34 people. (Santa Barbara County via AP, File)

Nearly 1,000 people gather at the Santa Monica Pier for a vigil to remember the dive boat fire victims on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2019. 34 divers died below deck when the dive boat Conception caught fire off the coast of Santa Cruz Island on Monday. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

A group hugs each other as nearly 1,000 people gather at the Santa Monica Pier for a vigil to remember the dive boat fire victims on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2019. 34 divers died below deck when the dive boat Conception caught fire off the coast of Santa Cruz Island on Monday. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

California Assembly member Richard Bloom speaks to the large group gathered at the Santa Monica Pier for a vigil to remember the dive boat fire victims on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2019. 34 divers died below deck when the dive boat Conception caught fire off the coast of Santa Cruz Island on Monday. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)

A photo of the boat Conception, taken by the Ventura County Fire Department, before it submerged after catching fire while anchored off Santa Cruz Island, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. Multiple people are feared dead after the dive boat caught fire before dawn Monday, according to the Coast Guard. (Ventura County Fire Department)

Lisa Fiedler of Mill Valley was on the dive boat Conception at the Channel Islands when it caught fire early Sept. 2, 2019. (Photo provided by Alicia Love)

SANTA BARBARA, CA – Sept. 4: A photo of Allie Kurtz is among the memorial growing, Wednesday morning, Sept. 4, 2019, at the harbor in Santa Barbara, Calif., for the victims of the Conception dive boat fire. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)

SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 03: Candles are lit in Santa Barbara Harbor at a makeshift memorial for victims of the Conception boat fire on September 3, 2019 in Santa Barbara, California. Authorities believe none of the 34 people below deck survived after the commercial scuba diving ship caught fire and sank, while anchored near Santa Cruz Island, in the early morning hours of September 2. Five crew members survived. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

SANTA BARBARA, CA – Sept. 4: Candles continue to burn before dawn, Wednesday morning, Sept. 4, 2019, at the harbor in Santa Barbara, Calif., where a memorial grows for the victims of the Conception dive boat fire. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)

Jennifer Stafford adds water to flowers placed with candles at makeshift memorial for the victims of a scuba diving boat fire, on September 3, 2019, in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images)

This image made from video released by TowBoatUS Ventura shows a burning out charter dive boat “Conception,” before it sank off Santa Cruz Island, near the coast of Ventura County, Calif., early Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Capt. Paul Amaral/TowBoatUS Ventura via AP)

A commercial scuba-dive boat sank amid intense flames early off the coast of Southern California and 34 passengers were unaccounted for, the US Coast Guard said. Five Conception crew members were awake and jumped into the water when flames burst out around 3:15 am. (Courtesy of Ventura County Fire Department)

The Conception was anchored off Santa Cruz Island, 25 miles south of Santa Barbara, when it caught fire before dawn on the final day of a three-day excursion, sinking less than 100 feet from shore.

Thirty-three passengers and a crew member perished, trapped in a bunkroom below deck. Among the dead were the deckhand, who had landed her dream job; an environmental scientist who did research in Antarctica; a globe-trotting couple; a Singaporean data scientist; and a family of three sisters, their father and his wife.

Boylan was the first to abandon ship and jump overboard. Four crew members who joined him also survived.

Although the exact cause of the blaze remains undetermined , prosecutors blamed Boylan for failing to post the required roving night watch and never properly trained his crew in firefighting. The lack of the roving watch meant the fire was able to spread undetected across the 75-foot boat.

But Boylan’s federal public defenders sought to pin blame on boat owner Glen Fritzler, who with his wife owns Truth Aquatics Inc., which operated the Conception and two other scuba dive boats, often around the Channel Islands.

Conception dive boat tragedy

They argued that Fritzler was responsible for failing to train the crew in firefighting and other safety measures, as well as creating a lax seafaring culture they called “the Fritzler way,” in which no captain who worked for him posted a roving watch.

The Fritzlers have not spoken publicly about the tragedy since an interview with a local TV station a few days after the fire. Their attorneys have never responded to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

Three days after the fire, Truth Aquatics filed suit under a pre-Civil War provision of maritime law that allows it to limit its liability to the value of the remains of the boat, which was a total loss. The time-tested legal maneuver has been successfully employed by the owners of the Titanic and other vessels and requires the Fritzlers to show they were not at fault.

That case is pending, as well as others filed by victims’ families against the Coast Guard for what they allege was lax enforcement of the roving watch requirement.

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Judge hears arguments for restitution to families of 34 people killed in 2019 scuba boat fire

FILE - A photo collage of the victims of the Sept. 2, 2019 fire aboard the dive boat Conception, at Santa Cruz Island, is held by a family member at federal court in Los Angeles, Oct. 25, 2023. Prosecutors are seeking restitution for the families of the 34 people killed in the fire that was the deadliest maritime disaster in recent U.S. history. A judge will determine the amount on Thursday, July 11, 2024, during a hearing in federal court in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

FILE - Defendant Jerry Boylan, captain of the dive boat, Conception, leaves federal court in Los Angeles, May 2, 2024. Prosecutors are seeking restitution for the families of 34 people killed in the boat fire in 2019 off the California coast. A judge will determine the amount on Thursday, July 11, during a hearing in federal court in Los Angeles. Boylan’s criminal negligence as the captain of the boat led to the deadliest maritime disaster in recent U.S. history. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal judge heard arguments Thursday over whether a boat captain should pay restitution to the families of 34 people killed in a California scuba dive boat fire in 2019, with prosecutors seeking reimbursement for funeral expenses and more.

Jerry Boylan, the captain of the Conception, was convicted last year of one count of misconduct or neglect of ship officer following a 10-day trial in federal court in downtown Los Angeles. The charge was a pre-Civil War statute colloquially known as seaman’s manslaughter that was designed to hold steamboat captains and crew responsible for maritime disasters.

Boylan, who was sentenced to four years in prison and three years of supervised release, was also ordered to pay restitution for what was the deadliest maritime disaster in recent U.S. history.

During a hearing Thursday in Los Angeles federal court, however, his attorney attempted to argue that restitution should not be paid because it had not been established that the loss of life was a direct result of Boylan’s actions the night of the fire.

Federal judge George Wu disagreed, saying it was “clearly shown that the defendant did not meet the safety regulation” of having an overnight roving patrol that could have caught the fire, a fact that was already established during Boylan’s criminal trial.

Boylan’s attorney, Gabriela Rivera, also argued that only specific expenses such as funeral costs should be eligible for restitution and should have documentation such as an invoice. She added that Boylan had no significant assets and would not be able to pay restitution, saying he is living off Social Security payments and has a negative cash flow from his bank account.

“He doesn’t have any family,” Rivera said. “He has no meaningful job prospects.”

Prosecutors disagreed, arguing that Boylan in fact had assets totaling six figures and that paying restitution would mean if he ever came into money in the future, he would have to pay the victims.

Kathi Mcllvain, whose son Charles died aboard the Conception, said it was “heartbreaking” to hear the lawyers argue over line-item costs. She and her husband Clark held each other during the hearing and shook their heads as the attorneys went back and forth.

“To nitpick over $700,” said Mcllvain, referring to one amount the defense disputed in their argument. “There’s no price you can put on someone’s life.”

Even if Boylan could not pay restitution now, “at least it should be on the record that he owes that, if he ever does come into money. He shouldn’t have killed 34 people. Then he would have been able to make a living,” Mcllvain said.

McIlvain found it distressing that Boylan was only sentenced to four years and would likely not serve it until his appeal, which could take years.

“Our son’s life was worth a lot more than that,” she said.

The judge said he will have a final decision on restitution amounts at the next hearing July 29.

Boylan is currently out on bond and must report to the Bureau of Prisons by Aug. 8. He was present at Thursday’s hearing but did not speak.

Thursday’s proceeding came nearly five years after the Sept. 2, 2019, tragedy off the central California coast, which prompted changes to maritime regulations, congressional reform and several ongoing civil lawsuits.

The Conception was anchored off Santa Cruz Island, 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of Santa Barbara, when it caught fire before dawn on the final day of a three-day excursion, sinking less than 100 feet (30 meters) from shore.

Thirty-three passengers and a crew member perished, trapped in a bunkroom below deck. Among the dead were the deckhand, who had landed her dream job ; an environmental scientist who did research in Antarctica; a globe-trotting couple; a Singaporean data scientist; and a family of three sisters, their father and his wife.

Boylan was the first to abandon ship and jump overboard. Four crew members who joined him also survived.

Although the exact cause of the blaze remains undetermined, prosecutors blamed Boylan for failing to post the required roving night watch and never properly trained his crew in firefighting. The lack of the roving watch meant the fire was able to spread undetected across the 75-foot (23-meter) boat.

But Boylan’s federal public defenders sought to pin blame on boat owner Glen Fritzler , who with his wife owns Truth Aquatics Inc., which operated the Conception and two other scuba dive boats, often around the Channel Islands.

They argued that Fritzler was responsible for failing to train the crew in firefighting and other safety measures, as well as creating a lax seafaring culture they called “the Fritzler way,” in which no captain who worked for him posted a roving watch.

The Fritzlers have not spoken publicly about the tragedy since an interview with a local TV station a few days after the fire. Their attorneys have never responded to requests for comment from The Associated Press, including on Thursday.

Three days after the fire, Truth Aquatics filed suit under a pre-Civil War provision of maritime law that allows it to limit its liability to the value of the remains of the boat, which was a total loss. The time-tested legal maneuver has been successfully employed by the owners of the Titanic and other vessels and requires the Fritzlers to show they were not at fault.

That case is pending, as well as others filed by victims’ families against the Coast Guard for what they allege was lax enforcement of the roving watch requirement.

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