Ethan Allen Tour Boat Accident on Lake George

On October 2, 2005, a tour boat on a cruise of Lake George in upstate New York capsized suddenly and sank, killing 21 passengers and injuring several more.

The Ethan Allen, a 40-foot, glass-enclosed tour boat, went down with 49 people aboard, only a few hundred feet from the lake's western shore, about two miles north of the village of Lake George, in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York.

The cause of the accident is presently under investigation. According to news reports, witnesses and officials said the boat had flipped over with startling speed - possibly swamped by the wake of a bigger boat - and plunged dozens of passengers, most of them elderly, into the cold water without life preservers.

All of the boat’s passengers were from Michigan, according to Warren County Sheriff Larry Cleveland. They were drawn from four Detroit-area towns, including the suburb of Trenton, which is where 14 of the passengers were part of a senior citizens group. There were also residents of Whitmore Lake, Livonia, and Warren, Michigan aboard the boat.

Families whose loved ones died in this accident are welcome to contact Lieff Cabraser to learn more about their legal rights without any charge or obligation.

Investigation of Cause of Lake George Accident

Lieff Cabraser has followed the news of this tragic event from the moment that it occurred. Through our contacts with investigators at Lake George and analysis of known events, we have identified the following critical issues that are receiving our attention:

The design and construction of the Ethan Allen and its suitability to carry up to 50 passengers, including disabled passengers, on Lake George trips.
The passenger capacity, piloting certification and crewing requirements.
Pre-cruise safety briefings to passengers, including instructions as to use of floatation devices and emergency evacuations.
Modifications made to the boat subsequent to its original design and construction and their impact on the craft’s lack of stability, center of gravity susceptible to capsize, and the adverse influences upon its failure to easily and safely abandon ship upon impact or other emergent need.
The handling characteristic of the Ethan Allen, including as observed by former and current captains.
The licensing, maintenance and insurances in respect of the boat.
Implementation of the regulatory control that governs safety issues in respect of such craft.
The role played by bow waves from other vessels that were navigating on Lake George at the relevant times.
Prior warnings that had been given to the operators of other Lake traffic that is known to cause substantial bow waves that can present a hazard to smaller passenger craft.
The role of the tour operators and others connected with the lake trip and what steps they took to determine the suitability of the Ethan Allen for the use to which it was put on the afternoon of October 2.

The Legal Rights of Victims’ Families

We appreciate that this is a time of deep pain and grieving for the spouses, children and families of the passengers who died or were injured in the Ethan Allen accident. In the coming weeks, you will, however, have questions concerning how and why the accident occurred, your legal rights, compensation that is available to you, and the duties and legal responsibility of the various parties involved.

Lieff Cabraser is committed to a thorough investigation of every aspect of this appalling tragedy, to identifying all those companies and/or individuals who may have a criminal or civil liability and to making the fullest contribution to securing justice for those whose lives have been destroyed by this tragic event.

Contact Lieff Cabraser

Families whose loved ones died in this accident are welcome to contact Lieff Cabraser to learn more about their legal rights without any charge or obligation. Please send us an e-mail message. Alternatively, you may telephone us toll-free at 1-888-321-1510 in the U.S., or 1-212-355-9500 from outside the U.S., and ask to speak with Wendy Fleishman, one of our attorneys in our New York office.

Expertise in Maritime Litigation

Lieff Cabraser is assisted in its investigation by a foremost marine and air disaster English lawyer, Nigel Taylor, who is Of Counsel to the firm and has thirty years experience in maritime litigation.

For twenty three years Mr. Taylor has worked with well known London law firms specializing in international maritime litigation, including 15 years as a partner in the firm of Sinclair Roche & Temperley. Mr. Taylor possesses extensive knowledge and experience in the complex field of maritime law, as well as the sensitivity and compassion necessary to undertake the difficult task of determining the cause of marine tragedies and obtaining fair compensation for the bereaved families.

Mr. Taylor has spoken at many seminars on marine disaster work and contributed articles to various publications. He has appeared on British television to discuss the unfariness of the Athens Convention, an international treaty that governs the legal rights of passengers aboard sea going vessels.

Mr. Taylor has been responsible for coordinating marine disaster litigation in many jurisdictions, including the United States. He continues to act as Counsel to the bereaved families of the nearly 4,000 passengers of the ferry “Dona Paz”, that collided in Philipping inland waters with an oil tanker that was on charter to Caltex Petroleum. The compensation claims of the victims are pending in Louisiana State Court.

For Canadian cases, we are associated with the Toronto, Ontario law firm of Rochon Genova, which represents plaintiffs in a wide range of civil cases.

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