TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — With Memorial Day weekend quickly approaching, the United States Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg has a message for those who plan to be out on the water.
The Coast Guard said some of the boats advertised on social media fail to meet federal regulations. Officials warn that searching for a deal to get on a boat may lead to a dangerous situation, one that could even be illegal.
Sector St. Petersburg monitors the water on the west coast of Florida from about the Fenholloway River to Marco Island, ensuring vessels are operating legally and safely.
“We have had accidents in our area where people are operating illegally who carried too many people,” said USCG Senior Investigating Officer Brian Knapp.
Knapp said the Coast Guard recognizes two different classifications of passenger vessels. One is an uninspected passenger vessel that may carry no more than six paying passengers that’s called a six pack.
Boater who fatally struck a 15-year-old girl in Florida has been identified, officials say