33-foot Special Purpose Craft-Law Enforcement file photo
MIAMI — The Coast Guard terminated the voyage of the 34-foot motor vessel, Bada Bing, with five people aboard Sunday near Nixon Beach after discovering multiple safety violations.
A Coast Guard Station Miami 33-foot Special Purpose Craft-Law Enforcement boatcrew conducted the boarding of the pleasure craft near Nixon Beach where they discovered the following violations:
- 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. 24.05 for operating as an uninspected passenger vessel.
“It’s very important to us that people are being safe out on the water,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric Guarino, watchstander at Coast Guard Sector Miami.”Having an unqualified person charter your vessel puts yourself, passengers and other boaters in danger.”
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 Documentation 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.
