Thursday, March 28

Federal Grand Jury Indicts Duck Boat Captain on 17 Counts of Seaman’s Manslaughter

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A federal grand jury has indicted the captain of the tourist duck boat that sank last July during a storm off Branson, Missouri, on 17 counts of seaman’s manslaughter, one for each person who died when the boat sank. The indictment charged Kenneth Scott McKee, 51, the captain, with misconduct, negligence and inattention to duty.

“The captain of the vessel always has a duty to operate his vessel in a safe manner and that’s why Mr. McKee is under indictment,” said Timothy Garrison, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. The indictment said that McKee failed to assess the weather forecast, with warnings of  high winds and lightning, before he left shore; he did not tell the 31 passengers on board to put on their life jackets when the bilge alarm sounded and the boat started to take on water, and he did not promptly slow down or head for shore.

McKee’s attorney said he expected to enter a plea of not guilty. McKee faces a sentence of ten years on each count,  plus a $250,000 fine.

The charge of seaman’s manslaughter dates to an 1838 law that Congress passed in an era of steamboat disasters, when many passengers were killed in fires and boiler explosions. The concept was that captains and crew could be criminally liable if anyone on board died as a result of their misconduct, negligence or inattention to duty.

Read more:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-missouri-boat/captain-of-deadly-missouri-duck-boat-charged-in-federal-court-idUSKCN1ND2SJ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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