Fatal tour boat accident prompts New York governor to propose new oversight

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul says she wants the state to have regulatory authority over boats that operate in caves and similar waterways following a fatal tour boat accident this week. The governor’s office said Friday that the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation regulates commercial boats, but currently lacks authority to inspect those operating on non-navigable waters, like at the Lockport Cave in western New York. Proposed legislation would close that loophole. A 65-year-old man died and nearly a dozen other passengers were taken to hospitals June 12 when their boat capsized during a tour of the historic underground tunnel off the Erie Canal.