Last month the National Transportation Safety Board released its report on last years’ Easter Sunday Boat crash on the Intracoastal Waterway in Palm Valley which claimed five lives and injured nine others.
The report lacks expected safety recommendations — such as dock lengths and adding no-wake zones.
The April 12, 2009 crash occurred when a 22-foot boat carrying 14 people was on the way back from St. Augustine.
NTSB investigators tested the 22-foot Crownline’s propulsion and steering systems after the accident and found "the propulsion system’s throttle and control linkages from the helm to the engine were connected and fully functional."
The report concluded that the accident was not the result of mechanical failure.
"The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the allision of the recreational boat with the push boat Little Man II was the inattention of the boat operators, most likely the result of alcohol impairment on the part of the regular operator and inexperience on the part of the designated operator," the report concluded.
An earlier investigation by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission determined the boat was traveling between 30 and 40 mph at the time of the collision.
Despite the commission’s report that a majority of the boats occupants, some underage, had consumed drugs or alcohol, the State Attorney’s Office declined to press charges against anyone involved.
The report found that the boats operator, Jacqueline Allen had no formal boat safety instruction or experience operating a boat. Allen had a blood alcohol level of 0.035, below the legal limit. The drug screen on Allen came back negative.
"It’s a tragic, tragic accident but it did not rise to the level of criminal prosecution," said Chief Assistant State Attorney Luis Bustamante in September 2009.
At the time of the accident, the designated operator was not required by Florida law to have completed a boating safety course. In May 2009, Florida revised its laws (effective Jan. 1, 2010) to require persons born on or after Jan. 1, 1988, to complete a safe-boating course in order to operate a boat.
April 4th 2010 - 9:15PM