News stories tagged with "ethan-allen"

(12/29/11) Vermont might have become the eastern side of New York State if it hadn't been for the bold action of patriot and land speculator Ethan Allen. Betsy Kepes reviews William Sterne Randall's new biography of Vermont's first hero. more

(03/27/07) The captain and the cruise line operators who ran the Ethan Allen cruise boat pleaded guilty yesterday to misdemeanor charges. Shoreline Cruises and Captain Richard Paris admitted to not having enough crewmembers on board when it flipped on Lake George, killing twenty elderly tourists. Brian Mann has details.

(03/29/06) Companies that are being sued following the Ethan Allen disaster last October say they're not to blame for the tragedy. The boat capsized on Lake George on a calm day, leaving 20 elderly tourists dead. As Brian Mann reports, one of the companies is now suing the Coast Guard over the incident.

(03/14/06) The Senate passed a bill yesterday that requires public boat operators in New York to purchase marine liability insurance. Martha Foley reports.

(02/06/06) On Friday, Warren County sheriff Larry Cleveland issued his final report on the Ethan Allen tour boat disaster. Cleveland says there was no criminal culpability in the tragedy, which left 20 elderly tourists dead. In October, the Ethan Allen capsized on Lake George. Cleveland told reporters that he thinks the Ethan Allen was overloaded, saying "The total number of people by weight is going to far exceed the capability of the vessel." But Cleveland found that the weight was within legal limits. The case has been referred to the Warren County District Attorney's office and is still being reviewed by the National Transportation Safety Board. Nineteen of the twenty victims of the disaster lived in Michigan. Tracy Samilton, with Michigan Public Radio, found that some families were upset by the sheriff's report.

(11/16/05) State Senator Betty Little has introduced a bill that would require blood tests for boat captains involved in serious accidents. The legislation follows the capsizing of the Ethan Allen on October 2 on Lake George. That accident left twenty elderly passengers dead. Brian Mann has details.

(10/07/05) The Ethan Allen was re-floated on Lake George yesterday, four days after it capsized with 47 elderly tourists aboard. Twenty passengers, all from Michigan, died in the accident. The tour boat is being tested by the National Transportation Safety Board. Brian Mann reports.

(10/06/05) Officials say the Lake George tour boat that capsized this weekend killing 20 passengers was not appropriately certified to carry 48 passengers. The Ethan Allen was carrying 47 passengers and a captain when it capsized Sunday. National Transportation Safety Board acting chairman Mark Rosenker says a road test on the boat's twin sister yesterday found the boat started to become unstable after just three barrels, each weighing 477 pounds, were placed on its left side. The board was planning to test 12 barrels. 12 would have been the equivalent of 48 passengers. Rosenker also said passengers on the Ethan Allen did not receive a safety briefing before their trip. Such a safety briefing is not required by state law, however. Yesterday, Governor George Pataki says he'll propose new standards for tourboats in New York. Karen DeWitt has more.

(10/06/05) The captain of the Ethan Allen, 74-year-old Richard Paris, gave a blood sample voluntarily earlier this week. Full results of yesterday's tests by the National Transportation Saftey Board won't be available for months. The preliminary report added to mounting evidence that the Ethan Allen may have been top-heavy before it capsized Sunday afternoon. Eyewitness Joyce Cloutier, from Loudonville, told an Albany TV station that the Ethan Allen appeared "extremely unstable" as Paris struggled to keep it upright while making a right-hand turn. Cloutier says passengers started toppling to one side of the boat, which then capsized. She watched the accident from another boat about fifty yards away. Cloutier's voice was heard on a 9-1-1 tape released Tuesday.

U.S. Coast guard officials say they've begun rethinking the weight calculations that determine how many passengers a boat can carry safely. The tour boat on Lake George isn't governed directly by the Coast Guard rules, but safety recommendations influence state guidelines. The rules would also affect boats operating on the St. Lawrence River and Lake Champlain. Brian Mann spoke with Coast Guard spokeswoman Angela McArdle, who says expanding waistlines may force a change in standards.

(10/05/05) Many of the passengers board the Ethan Allen were visiting Lake George as part of a leaf-peeping tour. They were elderly men and women, mostly from Michigan. Brian Mann spoke with Gerald Brown, the mayor of Trenton, Michigan, where at least three of the victims lived. Mayor Brown says his town is in mourning.