Coast Guard terminates illegal charter voyage in San Carlos Bay

LEE COUNTY, Fla. —

The Coast Guard terminated an illegal charter voyage in San Carlos Bay on Saturday.

According to a press release, a crew from the Coast Guard Station at Fort Myers Beach terminated the charter voyage after it was determined that the owner of the 42-foot motor yacht was in violation of an active federal Captain of the Port Order to cease operations issued on May 6.

According to the press release, the charter was terminated under the following violations:

• Failure to comply with an active COTP Order
• Failure to have a valid Certificate of Inspection
• Failure to have an inspected passenger vessel under the command of a credentialed mariner
• Failure to have a valid Certificate of Documentation endorsed for Coastwise trade
• Failure of the crew to be enrolled in a drug testing consortium

“Illegal passenger vessel operations pose a serious risk to public safety because passengers often have no idea the vessel lacks required safety inspections, properly credentialed mariners, or lifesaving protections mandated by federal law,” said Brian Knapp, chief of investigations at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg. “The Coast Guard will continue to aggressively investigate and terminate unsafe operations to protect the boating public and ensure commercial passenger vessels comply with all applicable safety and mariner credentialing requirements.”

Failure to comply with a COTP Order is punishable by a civil penalty of up to $117,608 for each day the vessel is in violation. Willful violation of a COTP Order is a felony, punishable by up to six years in prison or fines up to $250,000 for an individual or $500,000 for an organization.

"The Coast Guard urges anyone paying for a trip on a vessel to verify the captain has a safety plan and a Merchant Mariner Credential," the press release said.

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