The US Coast Guard stopped the voyage of the 39-foot pleasure craft, ‘Down Under’, which had seven passengers onoard in Baker’s Haulover Inlet, after discovering several safety violations.
Namely, the crew of a US Coast Guard Station Station Miami Beach Special Purpose Craft – Law Enforcement boarded the vessel and discovered the following violations:
- Failure to have a drug and alcohol program;
- Failure to have a credentialed mariner in control.
Owners and operators of illegal charter vessels can face maximum civil penalties of up to $41,456 for illegal passenger-for-hire operations. Some potential fines for illegally operating a charter vessel include:
- 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 $23,436 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.
