▶ Watch Video: Ferry passenger recounts moment of deadly crash with boat in Clearwater, Florida
One person was killed and several others injured when a boat crashed into a ferry near Clearwater, Florida, Sunday night, officials said.
Ten people on board the Clearwater Ferry were injured when a recreational vessel struck it from behind, city officials said at a news conference Monday. There were 45 passengers, including two crew, on the ferry and authorities have not identified the man who died.
Of the injured, six were declared “trauma alerts,” the city of Clearwater previously said, and two of those who were “more seriously injured” were taken away by helicopter, according to police.
Authorities said the Clearwater Ferry was hit by another boat, which fled the scene of the crash. The other boat, a private recreational vessel, was later found about three miles away from the incident, according to city officials. The Coast Guard said there were six people on the boat, including the driver.
The ferry “came to rest on a sandbar just south of the Memorial Causeway bridge,” police said. City officials clarified Monday that the ferry did not strike the sandbar. All the passengers, including those who were injured, were then taken off the ferry.
The Clearwater Memorial Causeway bridge connects Clearwater and Clearwater Beach.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which took over the investigation into the crash, towed ashore a boat matching the description of the one that hit the ferry late Sunday night, CBS News affiliate WTSP reported, describing it as a triple-engine center console boat often used for fishing and recreation.
No charges have been filed and no one has been taken into police custody, city officials said Monday, adding that the driver of recreational vessel, who was not identified, is cooperative.
In a statement to CBS News on Monday, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority who oversees the Clearwater Ferry said, “We are heartbroken for the person who lost their life, everyone who was hurt, and their families.”
“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,” PSTA and Clearwater Ferry said in the joint statement.
