Law enforcement officers from Coast Guard Sector Miami terminated six illegal charter voyages across Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties over the weekend of March 14.
One vessel involved was the 88-foot (26.8-metre) yacht The Round, which reportedly had 18 passengers for hire on board despite numerous safety violations. Investigators found that the owner of the yacht had previously received a captain of the port order on three separate occasions.
The coast guard noted that violating such an order can result in civil penalties of up to $117,608 for each violation. Individuals found guilty of willful violations face class D felony charges, which may lead to six years in prison or fines of up to $250,000.
Jesus Porrata, Coast Guard Sector Miami Investigating Officer, said, “Charter vessel operators need to be mindful of the safety regulations before embarking passengers to prevent the risk of an accident, voyage terminations and civil penalties due to non-compliance with established laws.”
Boarding officers identified a wide range of infractions including failure to employ credentialed mariners and lack of valid certificates of inspection.
Other citations included the possession of controlled substances, providing false statements and the absence of life jackets for all persons on board.
