Coast Guard Leads Weekend Campaign Against Drunk Boating

CHICAGO (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard will join Great Lakes law enforcement agencies through Sunday for its annual “Operation Dry Water” campaign against drunk boating.

The nationwide effort began Friday and aims to raise awareness about illegally operating a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

In 2014, Operation Dry Water participants removed 318 boaters who were under the influence and made contact with nearly 147,000 boaters on 59,000 vessels.

Officials say alcohol is the leading contributing factor to boating deaths. It played a role in one-fifth of recreational boating fatalities in 2014.

Impairment can be more dangerous for boaters than drivers because most have less experience operating a watercraft than they do an automobile.

Drunken boaters will be arrested and boats could be impounded.

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