Tour Boat Violated State Laws
The Ethan Allen was in violation of state law during its sightseeing cruise on Sunday, according to a report from ABC News.New York regulations say that any commercial boat carrying between 21 and 50 passengers must have one crew member, in addition to the boat's operator. According to officials, that applied to the Ethan Allen and its 47 passengers. The tour boat capsized on Lake George Sunday, killing 20 people. State regulators have suspended licenses for all five vessels belonging to Shoreline Cruises, the company that operated the tour, officials told The Associated Press.
State officials said the boat's captain had a valid master's license issued by the state and that the boat was inspected in May and passed.