PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A 17-foot boat with 3 people on board was stopped by the Coast Guard on the Willamette River near Oregon City for being an illegal charter, authorities said.
The operator was cited for multiple violations and was prohibited from using the boat commercially until all the charter requirements are approved by the Coast Guard. The owner of the boat also faces a civil penalty up to $103,200, Coast Guard officials said.
People thinking of hiring a charter should make sure the captain has a safety plan and is credentialed by the Coast Guard. If the operator doesn’t show the credentials, officials said passengers should not get on board and should report it to the Coast Guard.
Lt. Jody Stiger, the Chief of Investigations at Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Portland, said illegal charters are a serious safety risk. “Terminating these dangerous voyages and educating the boating public is our top priority,” Stiger said in a statement.
For more information or to report a charter, call the Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Portland at 503.240.9310.