Coast Guard Establishes Safety Zone for Boaters During A.C. Air Show

ATLANTIC CITY - Plane pilots will practice their flights Tuesday in preparation for Thunder Over the Boardwalk air show Wednesday. Because the planes will maneuver over the Atlantic Ocean, the Coast Guard has established a safety zone for mariners planning to watch the show from the water.

Boaters will not be permitted inside the zone either Tuesday or Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The safety area runs from Steel Pier two miles south towards Ventnor and three-quarters of a mile from the shore. Crew from Coast Guard Station Atlantic City, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, the New Jersey State Police Marine Division, the Ocean City Police Department and the Avalon Fire Department will be on patrol for the event.

“We are working with multiple units to ensure the safety of airshow spectators and pilots,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Anton Mohammed, a boat crew member from Station Atlantic City. “The airshow is always a big hit with our community and in order to maintain the level of success we’ve had in the past we ask that mariners do not consume alcohol while operating a boat.”

On another note, an investigation into a fatal mid-air collision in Chicago last month will keep the Army’s Golden Knights parachute team from performing in the air show, according to the Press of Atlantic City.

For questions about the safety zone, please contact Station Atlantic City at (609) 344-6594.