NEW YORK — Area Coast Guard boarding teams terminated two unrelated recreational boat voyages early today due to unsafe operations on both vessels.
For the first, the Coast Guard received notice of a 42-foot recreational vessel behaving erratically, with 32 persons aboard. Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook sent a 25-foot response boat and crew to conduct a boating safety boarding.
During the boarding, which was carried out on the water, it was discovered that the operator lacked the proper documentation to operate the vessel. The Coast Guard terminated the voyage based on this fact, and the vessel’s unsafe operating condition of being overloaded. The Station Sandy Hook response crew escorted the vessel to its point of origin.
Several hours later, Station New York was notified by Surfside Marina of a recreational catamaran bumping into pilings in the area. Because of this, it was believed that the operator had possibly been drinking. Station New York directed two 25-foot response boats, already underway, to respond. Both boats and their respective crews had been underway providing security zone protection for the fireworks and were making their way back to the station at a reduced speed, searching for unsafe vessel operations, when they received the call.
The crews intercepted the vessel in question near Liberty Landing Marina, and escorted it to the marina. Once it was safely moored, the Coast Guard officers conducted a boating safety boarding. The marina was chosen as a safety measure for the 24 passengers aboard the catamaran, all of whom appeared to be intoxicated and were behaving belligerently. The owner operator of the vessel, however, was both compliant and sober.
NYPD and New Jersey State Park Police were present during the boarding. The vessel voyage was terminated, and all passengers were released and sent home in taxis. The operator was cited and later released.
