Fatal Boat Fire In California Raises Safety Concerns For Similar Excursions At Jersey Shore
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (CBS) -- Coast Guard officials in California have suspended their search for possible survivors from a boat fire off the coast last weekend. The incident has many wondering about what kinds of regulations and safety measures are in place for fishing and diving excursions at the Jersey Shore.
When it comes to safety out at sea, dive and fishing captain Ed Collet says it is always best to board boats that are subject to annual Coast Guard inspections.
"When you're booking it, make sure it is an inspected vessel, not just like a private boat being chartered out by an owner or something like that because those boats are not built under the same specifications nor are they required to have the same safety equipment," he says.
As the Coast Guard investigates the fatal dive boat fire in California, Capt. Collet showed Eyewitness News the essential safety features on a overnight charter boat.
"This is the main way everybody comes in and out. In an emergency if this access was blocked or they needed addition ways out, right above your head this is an emergency hatch," he explained. "This is required by the Coast Guard. It can't be blocked, locked or secured anyway anytime the vessel has people on it."
Overnight diving is not very common at the Jersey Shore, but overnight fishing trips are.
Any boat that holds seven or more passengers should have Coast Guard inspection paperwork on hand.
Among the things they check are fire extinguishers, life jackets and emergency exits like hatches and doors.
Knowing where the hatches and escape routes are located is crucial if you're staying overnight on a diving or fishing boat -- something the captain or crew should go over with their passengers.
Capt. Collet says while emergencies at sea unfortunately happen sometimes, making sure the captain you hire pays attention to every safety detail can be the difference between life and death.
