Coast Guard halts 2 more illegal charter operations in Miami

The Coast Guard reports it terminated the voyage of a 27-foot pleasure craft with 12 people aboard Friday near America Airlines Arena and a 36-foot pleasure craft with 12 passengers aboard Saturday after discovering multiple safety violations.

A Coast Guard Station Miami 33-foot Special Purpose Craft-Law Enforcement boatcrew and another Station Miami boatcrew conducted the boarding of the 27-foot and 36-foot pleasure crafts and discovered multiple violations.

“We want everyone to have fun out on the water, but safety is the number one priority,” said Cmdr. Bradley Clare, prevention department head at Coast Guard Sector Miami. “We will continue to seek out people who commit crimes on the water and jeopardize boater safety.”

Owners and operators of illegal charter vessels can face maximum civil penalties of over $50,000 for illegal passenger-for-hire operations.