Boat flees after crashing into ferry in Clearwater, Florida; 1 dead, 10 injured
One person died and 10 others were sent to a hospital in Clearwater, Florida, after a recreational boat struck a ferry carrying dozens of festival- and beachgoers and then fled the scene, law enforcement officials said.
The collision occurred just off the Memorial Causeway bridge around 8:40 p.m. April 27, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Approximately 45 people were aboard the ferry, including two crew members, and six people were on the other vessel at the time of the crash.
Ten adults suffered injuries ranging from broken bones to head injuries, officials said at a news conference Monday. The Coast Guard previously said 12 people were transported to a local hospital without providing additional information about their conditions. Authorities said only those on the ferry suffered injuries.
A blue and white vessel slammed into the rear of the ferry while it was on its way back from Clearwater Beach in an "exceptionally busy area," police Chief Eric Gandy said Monday.
"Our thoughts go out to the families of those who were on board the ferry last night particularly to the children and the family of the gentleman who died," Gandy said. "It should also be noted that the efforts of a ferry crew member likely saved lives last night."
First responders were inundated with patients when they arrived at the chaotic scene, Tony Tedesco, acting chief for the Clearwater Fire and Rescue Department, said at the news conference. Within hours of the collision, the department declared the crash a "mass casualty incident" because of the number of injuries and their severity. At least six patients were declared trauma alerts and two of those patients were taken by helicopter to a local hospital, according to the city of Clearwater.
The vessel left the scene after the collision and was found 3½ miles away, Gandy said, but no one is in custody and it is not clear yet if the crash is being investigated as a hit and run. Officials said the captain of the vessel that hit the ferry was cooperative and took a breathalyzer test in which no alcohol was detected.
After the crash, the ferry came to rest on a sandbar just south of the bridge. The bridge connects Clearwater and Clearwater Beach and sits north of St. Petersburg and west of Tampa.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. Coast Guard are investigating the collision. Both vessels have been seized as evidence and investigators are conducting interviews and reviewing footage to determine exactly what caused the crash.
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The 'whole back' of the ferry was shattered, witness says
The incident occurred on the last day of the Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival on Clearwater Beach and many of the passengers aboard the ferry were returning from a day of revelry on the water.
Brenda Alvarez, a pregnant woman on the ferry with her husband and two young children, said the crash "shattered the whole back" of the vessel. The family was among the many who spent the day on the beach, soaking up the hot Florida sun.
"I fell between two seats, and my whole body hurts right now," she told WFTS Tampa Bay, adding that she intended to go to the hospital to check on her baby. "We just wanted to get to our cars and get home."
What is the Clearwater Ferry?
The ferry is a public water taxi that allows people to bypass the traffic on the Memorial Causeway bridge and sail across Clearwater Harbor for a small fee.
Fares range from $2.50 to $5 and the ferry runs from downtown Clearwater to Clearwater Beach, according to the ferry's website. The ferry had previously stopped in Dunedin, a quaint city north of Clearwater, but Hurricanes Milton and Debby damaged the dock, forcing officials to halt ferry service there until repairs are completed.
The Clearwater Ferry was started in 2015 and was initially privately owned, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Earlier this year, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority took over the ferry service, expanded its schedule and extended daily service hours.
"We are heartbroken for the person who lost their life, everyone who was hurt, and their families," the transportation authority and Clearwater Ferry said in a joint statement after the deadly collision. "We deeply appreciate the dedication of the first responders and others who rushed to help Sunday night. We are cooperating with the investigation. Safety is the top priority for PSTA and the Clearwater Ferry."