United States: A peaceful evening voyage turned catastrophic Sunday night when a privately owned vessel slammed into the Clearwater Ferry, resulting in one fatality and leaving a dozen others battered and bruised, according to the Clearwater Police Department.
The unfortunate souls injured in the crash were all passengers aboard the ferry, officials confirmed. BayCare Health System reported welcoming nine casualties across three of their hospitals Sunday evening. By Monday, all but one had been treated and discharged, according to ABC News.
At the moment of impact, the 40-foot ferry carried 45 individuals, including two diligent crew members. Authorities stated that a 37-foot private boat had rammed into the ferry from behind without warning.
Following the collision, the culpable vessel fled, motoring toward Belleair Boat Ramp before being located by a vigilant agency, as per the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s report on Monday.
The calamity unfolded near Clearwater’s Memorial Causeway Bridge. Notification to Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg was recorded at approximately 8:40 p.m., according to a bulletin from the Seventh Coast Guard District shared on X. Officials later revealed during a press briefing that at one point, both crafts were “thoroughly enmeshed.”
Post-impact, the ferry found itself stranded atop a sandbar just south of the bridge. Swift intervention by emergency teams led to the safe extraction of all passengers and crew, authorities stated, as per ABC News.
One ferry passenger, speaking to Tampa’s WFTS affiliate, recounted the chilling moments:
“We were savoring the ride when suddenly, the first mate began shouting, ‘Hey, hey, hey!'”
“We spun around and saw this monstrous yacht cleave right through the back of our boat,” he recalled, alongside his wife, who is 31 weeks pregnant, and their two young children.
Officials disclosed that six people had been aboard the rogue recreational boat, which fled the crash site. The captain later cooperated with investigators and voluntarily took a Breathalyzer test, which detected no presence of alcohol.
So far, no arrests have been made. Authorities are coordinating with the state attorney’s office to decide whether the event qualifies as a criminal hit-and-run, according to reports by ABC News.
Authorities promised to soon reveal the identities of both the deceased and the recreational boat’s captain.
Commander Fredrick Pugh, chief of response at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, expressed heartfelt sorrow in a formal statement:
“We extend our deepest sympathies to the grieving loved ones. Our investigative officers, alongside FWC, are working relentlessly to uncover the precise sequence of events leading to this heartbreaking incident.”
Meanwhile, Clearwater Ferry shared its own solemn message, “Our hearts are shattered for the soul who lost their life. We are fully cooperating with investigators and profoundly grateful for the first responders’ unwavering commitment Sunday night,” as per ABC News.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will spearhead the ongoing probe into this tragic mishap, Clearwater Police confirmed.