Two charged over US boat tragedy

It is thought the Ethan Allen was hit by the wake of a passing boat

The captain of a boat that capsized in 2005 in the US state of New York and the cruise company owner have been charged after a 15-month inquiry.

Twenty of 47 elderly tourists aboard the Ethan Allen died in the accident on Lake George, north of New York City.

State rules say a boat with more than 21 passengers has to have at least two crewmen. The Ethan Allen had only one.

If found guilty of charges of criminal misdemeanour, the two men face up to 15 days in jail and/or a $250 (£128) fine.

'Exhaustive job'

Warren County District lawyer Kate Hogan said the charges after 15 months of investigation might not seem to have "a lot of meat" but the grand jury did an exhaustive job under existing law.

"They were able to give the families of the victims the peace of mind that this case was reviewed and no rock was left unturned," Ms Hogan said.

Ms Hogan said a more serious charge, such as criminal negligence, could not be handed down as there was not enough evidence to show that Shoreline or Captain Richard Paris knew the boat would capsize.

Investigators believe the 40ft (12m) boat was rocked by a wake from a passing boat, or multiple boats when it capsized on 2 October 2005.

The Ethan Allen was certified to carry 48 passengers plus two crew. However, passenger capacity was calculated when it was made in 1966, but modifications over the years made it less stable and numbers should have been cut to 14, local authorities said.