The U.S. Coast Guard on Saturday terminated the voyage of a 60-foot-boat with 15 people on it near Monument Island after finding multiple safety violations.
The crew of a 33-foot special purpose craft-law enforcement boat Coast Guard Station Miami conducted the boarding of the pleasure craft near Marine Stadium where they discovered the following violations:
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- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 176.100A for not having a valid certificate of inspection.
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 15.515B for not having a credentialed mariner in control while operating a small passenger vessel.
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 16.201 for failure to have a drug and alcohol program.
- Violation of 46 C.F.R. 170.120 for failure to have a valid stability letter.
Owners and operators of illegal charter vessels can face maximum civil penalties of over $58,000 for illegal passenger-for-hire operations. Some potential fines for illegally operating a charter vessel are:
- Up to $18,477 for failure of an inspected vessel to be under the control of an individual with the appropriate Coast Guard license.
- Up to $7,250 for failure of operators to be enrolled in a chemical testing program.
- Up to $4,685 for failure to provide a Coast Guard certificate of inspection for vessels carrying more than six passengers.
- Up to $15,995 for failure to produce a valid certificate of cocumentation for vessels over 5 gross tons.
- Up to $11,712 for failure to have been issued a valid stability letter prior to placing vessel in service with more than six passengers.