Officials prepared for holiday weekend

MIAMI (WSVN) -- South Florida authorities will be out in full force to ensure a safe Columbus Day weekend for boaters.

Officials will be roaming the waters, including Biscayne National Park, this weekend.

Officials said they will keep on the look out for drunken boaters, violence, insufficient safety equipment and other dangers.

The long days of partying and drinking on the waters have lead to six deaths in the past 10 years.

Authorities will be working to make sure tragedy does not repeat itself this holiday weekend. "That is why we're here, to prevent this from happening again," said Jorge Pino, spokesperson for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, "so we're going to do everything in our power, with as much manpower as we can, to try and prevent people from doing the wrong thing."

Ossie Castellanos' son was killed during Regatta Weekend. "We need to make sure that people are aware that this can happen to them," said Ossie Castellanos. "My son never thought that, and he's gone. The negligence of boating and uneducated boaters kill people."

Violators can face fines of up to $5,000 and possible jail time.

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