A charter boat trip to watch the Tamsui fireworks in New Taipei was cancelled by coast guard inspectors, angering passengers but backing up safety rules.

• A fishing boat licensed for tourist trips was stopped before leaving the Tamsui port on the night of the fireworks show.
• Inspectors found the boat did not have enough life jackets for everyone on board, and some passengers were not wearing them.
• One crew member's fishing boat crew licence had expired.
• The operator was told to fix both problems before the scheduled departure but could not, so the trip was called off.
• A passenger complaint posted online prompted the coast guard to explain publicly why the boat was held back.

Outlook: The case will be passed to the relevant authority for possible penalties, and operators running the remaining Tamsui fireworks nights face tighter checks before leaving port.