Narrative:

ATC vector greater than 50 NM from land. While proceeding south on a vector of approximately 180 degrees off the coast of fl and abeam mlb, ATC began vectoring aircraft east bound, putting them further off shore. Two aircraft on our frequency asked for a reason for the vector, and no answer was given. ATC was very busy with radio communications at the time. It appeared that something abnormal was taking place and that ATC was too busy to explain their actions. I knew we were approaching our 50 NM from shore limit, but it did not seem prudent to question ATC at the time. We checked our distance from shore and found that we were approximately 80 miles from shore, at which time we were given a turn back to the west to join the mrlin four arrival to fll. I believe ATC was saturated with aircraft in and around the fll area. So they put us on vectors to free up airspace. It seems that this could be avoided by better use of flow times. Aircraft should not be permitted in the area if there is no where for them to go but over water at greater than 50 NM.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 CREW WAS GIVEN VECTORS WHICH TOOK THEM MORE THAN 50 MI FROM LAND IN ZMA CLASS A. THE ACFT AND CREW WERE NOT OVERWATER EQUIPPED, AND QUALIFIED.

Narrative: ATC VECTOR GREATER THAN 50 NM FROM LAND. WHILE PROCEEDING S ON A VECTOR OF APPROX 180 DEGS OFF THE COAST OF FL AND ABEAM MLB, ATC BEGAN VECTORING ACFT E BOUND, PUTTING THEM FURTHER OFF SHORE. TWO ACFT ON OUR FREQ ASKED FOR A REASON FOR THE VECTOR, AND NO ANSWER WAS GIVEN. ATC WAS VERY BUSY WITH RADIO COMS AT THE TIME. IT APPEARED THAT SOMETHING ABNORMAL WAS TAKING PLACE AND THAT ATC WAS TOO BUSY TO EXPLAIN THEIR ACTIONS. I KNEW WE WERE APCHING OUR 50 NM FROM SHORE LIMIT, BUT IT DID NOT SEEM PRUDENT TO QUESTION ATC AT THE TIME. WE CHECKED OUR DISTANCE FROM SHORE AND FOUND THAT WE WERE APPROX 80 MILES FROM SHORE, AT WHICH TIME WE WERE GIVEN A TURN BACK TO THE W TO JOIN THE MRLIN FOUR ARR TO FLL. I BELIEVE ATC WAS SATURATED WITH ACFT IN AND AROUND THE FLL AREA. SO THEY PUT US ON VECTORS TO FREE UP AIRSPACE. IT SEEMS THAT THIS COULD BE AVOIDED BY BETTER USE OF FLOW TIMES. ACFT SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED IN THE AREA IF THERE IS NO WHERE FOR THEM TO GO BUT OVER WATER AT GREATER THAN 50 NM.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.