At least one dead & multiple injured as ferry crashes into another boat in ‘mass casualty event' in Florida
A PACKED ferry carrying dozens of festivalgoers was left stranded and battered after a horror hit-and-run crash on the water — leaving one dead and at least a dozen injured.
The Clearwater Ferry was taking passengers back from the final night of Florida's 17-day Sugar Sand Festival when it was struck by a private boat.
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The horror crash unfolded near the Memorial Causeway Bridge just after 10pm Sunday.
Terrifying images show the ferry grounded on a sandbar as emergency crews declared a 'mass casualty event' and raced to haul terrified passengers to safety.
Clearwater Police said the private boat fled the scene after the smash.
It was later located with six passengers on board, but nobody was injured.
Passenger Marco Vacheco told local outlet 10 Tampa Bay: 'It was like a big yacht, it hit from behind, like it came through where the captain sits, like he was pinned down.'
His wife, Brenda Alvarez, hailed brave first responders who waded through shallow waters to rescue their children.
'Where we were, it was really shallow, so there was actually some paramedics that went out there and helped my children and I get off the boat,' she said.
All of those hurt were aboard the ferry, which was carrying 43 passengers and two crew members at the time of the collision.
Six passengers were declared 'trauma patients,' with two of them airlifted to hospital by medical helicopters, police said.
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Daily Mail
29-04-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Sordid history of millionaire skipper Jeff Knight at the helm in fatal Clearwater ferry crash includes another boating disaster and groping female employee
The skipper of the boat that slammed into a packed ferry killing a 41-year-old husband is a wealthy local entertainment tycoon once accused of negligence in another boating accident, can exclusively reveal. Jeffry Knight, 62 – who has multiple venues in St Petersburg, Florida, and lives in a $5.2million waterfront mansion – was at the helm of the 37-foot triple-engine vessel when it hit the Clearwater Ferry on Sunday night. Ten people among the 45 aboard the 40-foot ferry were injured in the 'mass casualty' horror as families were being shuttled on the final night of Clearwater's popular Sugar Sand Festival. Knight's boat carrying six passengers left after the crash and was found more than three-miles south by law enforcement, who guided it on to a ramp beside the Belleair Causeway and led him away. Authorities say Knight has cooperated with them and a breath test showed there was no trace of alcohol in his system. So far, he has not been charged with any offense. However, can reveal Knight has a lengthy and largely minor rap sheet that includes two DUIs and being accused of 'careless operation of a vessel'. He is also currently facing a damning civil court case where he is accused of seriously sexually assaulting one of his female staff at his showpiece Jannus Live concert venue in St. Petersburg. Additionally, Knight was previously accused in a lawsuit of the 2012 death of a friend who slipped as he was leaving his yacht, named Pure Knight Life, and hit his head on the way down into the water. The ferry was badly damaged in the collision that killed one passenger. Knight, who has a lengthy rap sheet that includes two DUIs and being accused of 'careless operation of a vessel' was skipper of the other vessel The family of James Young launched a civil action, alleging wrongful death on the basis that Knight's gangplank to the dock was 'inherently dangerous' because it didn't have a two-sided railing. Officials said Young had cocaine in his system and his blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit for driving in Florida. Knight, who owns Jannus Live, the Ringside Café, the Pelican Pub, MacDinton's Irish Pub and Detroit Liquors, was first accused of DUI in April 2002, according to Pinellas County Circuit Court records. He pleaded no contest and was ordered to pay fines and costs of $650. Five years later he was convicted of reckless driving, to which he pleaded guilty after accepting a reduced charge from another original DUI accusation. And in 2012, he once more faced a DUI charge, again pleading no contest before being adjudicated guilty, according to records. In 2017, he was accused of a maritime offense: being careless in the operation of a vessel. He pleaded no contest. But he is currently facing serious sexual allegations by a former female employee in Pinellas County Circuit Court – with paperwork claiming he is a 'known sexual harasser'. is not naming the woman in the court documents due to the nature of the allegations. Knight is facing serious sexual assault allegations from a former female bodyguard who worked at Jannus Live She alleged that she was warned by a coworker to stay away from Knight. But at a concert in 2023, he allegedly attempted to make an advance towards her She also alleged that during the exchange, he put her hands between her legs and rubbed his hand quickly before asking her to 'Uber home with me' The female ex-security guard alleged the attack happened during a concert in June, 2023. Her attorney writes that she was warned by another staff member to 'walk away' if Knight approached her. 'After the concert, Knight comes up behind (the woman) He walks up close to her. He stares directly in her eyes,' says the amended complaint to the court. It continues: 'Knight tells (the woman) "you're so damn pretty". 'Knight tells (the woman) that he bought "Jannus Live and the whole block". He says, "Not bad for someone who didn't finish 8th grade".' Another security guard attempted to intervene in Knight's alleged advances, with the attorney writing: 'As Knight talks, Tracy Holden walks up… asks Knight, "Are you going to harass her now?" Knight touches or hugs Ms Holden and she walks away.' The complaint says Knight comes closer to the woman put his hands on her face and says, "you're so beautiful" before leaning in and hanging on to her. 'Knight licks the side of her face,' it continues. 'Knight puts his hands on (the woman's) back and lowers his arm to her rear end. He thrusts his hands between her legs. 'Knight rubs his hand back and forth between (the woman's) legs. He does this quickly.' The female employee then reportedly looked for a security guard to help her before Knight allegedly said: "Why don't you Uber home with me?" Five days later, the woman went to the company's human resources department alleging Knight treated her like 'a piece of meat'. According to the complaint, the female HR officer told her: 'I can speak with him, but it will mean nothing'. She also said Knight was probably drunk again and will not remember, says the filing. The woman left her job of three months and is claiming constructive dismissal, sexual assault and battery, negligent supervision, sexual harassment and retaliation. She is suing for more than $50,000 and punitive damages. Her attorney wrote to court in January this year saying the case is ready for jury trial. 'A corporate owner such as Jeffry Knight may not touch, grab, rub, lick or sexually molest his employees,' her attorney writes. In a motion to dismiss the complaint, Knight's attorney says the businessman 'had a conversation as evidenced by surveillance video.. this conversation was not sexual in nature'. The former security guard made a draft complaint shortly after the alleged incident where she 'made several outrageous and extreme claims.. and what he allegedly did to her,' says the motion. 'Interestingly and tellingly, Plaintiff changed some of the more outrageous claims after she was provided a copy of the video.' Knight lives in luxury at his palatial 12,000-square-foot pad complete with six bedrooms and eight bathrooms which he bought for $3million in 2017 – with a $2million loan, according to records. The mansion, edging on to an exclusive stretch of water in an exclusive enclave in Largo, is now worth an estimated $5.2million. During the pandemic, Knight went to war with the city of St. Petersburg in 2021 after he was cited 16 times for his businesses ignoring the mask mandate. Officials on Monday named the man killed in the ferry horror as husband and father Jose Castro, 41, from nearby Palm Harbor, Florida. Knight was identified as the operator of the center console boat in the tragedy by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which is investigating the crash. Horrific video released by Clearwater Police shows the ferry traveling east of the channel near Memorial Causeway bridge and Knight's boat coming up at speed from behind in calm waters. Chief Eric Gandy said at a news conference Monday: 'There's a point of impact where it looks to be that it overrode nearly three-quarters of the ferry.' 911 dispatchers heard 'horrific screaming' in the background minutes after the horror. And harrowing audio released by the Coast Guard reveals a crew member's plea for help in a call with the words: 'Mayday, mayday, mayday. There's been a boat collision. The Clearwater Ferry, uh, underneath the Clearwater Memorial Causeway. The Clearwater Ferry is adrift.' Passenger Marco Vacheco told 10 Tampa Bay: 'It was like a big yacht, It hit from behind, like it came through where the captain sits, like he was pinned down.' His pregnant wife Brenda Alvarez told ABC Action News that she hadn't 'felt the baby move' since the crash and was heading to hospital to have it checked out. Alvarez, on board with her husband and their two children, fell between two seats when the recreational boat slammed the ferry, which caused her 'whole body to hurt'. Rob Shaw, spokesman for Clearwater police and the fire and rescue service, said: 'It was a chaotic scene when we got there. There were some patients being picked up by neighboring boats. 'Good Samaritans were trying to help. There were other patients who were walking ashore because of the shallow waters here off the bridge.' Clearwater Ferry said in a statement: '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.'
The Independent
29-04-2025
- The Independent
Footage reveals moment boat crashes into passenger ferry in fatal Clearwater collision
Footage captured the moment a boat slammed into a passenger ferry in Florida, killing one person and injuring 10 others. There were 45 people on board the 40-foot passenger ferry Sunday night when a 37-foot private vessel, with six passengers on board, plowed into the stern at around 8.40 p.m. local time. Jose Castro, 41, of Palm Harbor, Florida, has now been named by police as the passenger who died in the crash. Police have also released video taken from a live webcam at Coachman Park along the waterfront, which shows the private boat heading straight toward the ferry while it travels eastbound in the channel. The video captures the boat striking the ferry from behind and landing across the majority of the vessel's stern. 'Mayday, mayday, mayday! There's been a boat collision. The Clearwater ferry, underneath the Clearwater Memorial Causeway. The Clearwater ferry is adrift,' a caller was heard stating to the U.S. Coast Guard in a newly released audio clip. Passengers on board the ferry had been returning from Clearwater Beach, where the Sugar Sand Festival was being held. Clearwater Police Department chief Eric Gandy said at a press conference Monday evening that the boat 'overrode nearly three-quarters of the ferry' during the collision. "Even before the first responders arrived on the scene, we knew we were dealing with a major situation,' Gandy said. 'Our 911 call takers could hear what they described as horrific screaming in the background." Pictures of the wreckage following the incident revealed the extent of the damage. 'Both boats were fully entangled, and a large amount of damage resulted to the ferry boat as a result,' Major Evan Laskowski of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission explained. With emergency workers arriving on the scene, EMS chief for Clearwater Fire Rescue Tony Tedesco said the 'mass casualty incident' became hard to manage because of the sheer number of casualties. 'We had great good samaritans who were bringing people in,' he said. 'So you could imagine being on scene with only a few personnel, and being inundated with probably 30-40 people at a time coming towards that basin, all on different boats... and us having to sift through that. It was definitely a challenge.' Ten people sustained injuries in the crash, six of whom were listed as trauma alerts, and two were airlifted to hospital. BayCare Health System said all but one had since been treated and released. Chief Gandy praised the 'life-saving efforts' of a ferry crew member who played a pivotal role in helping those on board the vessel. The boat fled the scene after the crash, but Pinellas County Sheriff's Office officials tracked it down roughly three and a half miles south of the Clearwater Memorial Causeway Bridge, where the collision occurred. The boat's driver is co-operating with the investigation being led by the U.S. Coast Guard and the FFWCC, authorities said. He voluntarily submitted to a breathalyzer test, police added, but no alcohol was found. The officials offered their condolences to the family of Castro and said that more information would follow the investigation.
Daily Mirror
28-04-2025
- Daily Mirror
CCTV captures shocking Florida ferry crash which left one dead and at least 12 injured
WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT Officials say they located the driver of the private boat, which alegedly fled the scene, three hours after the collision on Sunday night Police have released dramatic CCTV footage showing the moment a boat crashed into a ferry in Florida killing at least one person and injuring dozens more in what officials called a 'mass casualty' accident. One person has died and multiple people have been injured following the catastrophic collision on Sunday evening. The boats collided in Clearwater, Florida, near the city's Memorial Causeway Bridge on Sunday April 27, the last night of the 17-day Sugar Sand Festival, when people were traveling back and forth by ferry. Local officials confirmed the ferry would have been carrying over 40 passengers and crew at the time it was struck. The boat involved quickly fled the scene after hitting the ferry, according to the Clearwater Police Department. Yesterday in a statement on X The Clearwater Police Department shared: "Along with @clearwaterfire, we're working a boat crash off the Memorial Causeway bridge that has resulted in multiple injuries. It's been declared a mass casualty incident by the fire department due to the number of injuries. All local hospitals have been notified. Multiple trauma alerts have been called with helicopters transporting two of the more seriously injured. Drivers should avoid Memorial Causeway. "The crash involved the Clearwater Ferry, which had more than 40 people on board. All of the injuries are from the ferry. The boat that struck the ferry fled the scene. The @USCG and @MyFWC will be handling the crash investigation. The ferry came to rest on a sandbar just south of the Memorial Causeway bridge. All patients and passengers have been removed from the boat." Just a few hours later they added: "One person has died from injuries in tonight's boat crash. @MyFWC will be handing the crash investigation." The latest update from Clearwater Police Department on he boat collision has included some dramatic footage. The force shared: "This video was released by the Clearwater Police Department at a news conference this afternoon related to Sunday night's boat crash that left one person dead and 10 injured on the Clearwater Ferry. The view is from a live web cam at Coachman Park that shows the park and the marina/waterfront area. @MyFWC is investigating the crash, along with the @USCG." At a Monday afternoon news conference officials said they located the driver of the private boat, which allegedly fled the scene, three hours after the collision on Sunday night. The driver was found by a partnering law enforcement agency, Clearwater police said. The driver's identity has not been released, reports MailOnline. Distressing new audio has revealed the mayday call made by crew on the Clearwater Ferry moments after the boat crash. "Mayday, mayday, mayday, there's been a boat collision! The Clearwater ferry, underneath the Clearwater Memorial Causeway. The Clearwater ferry is adrift," the controller was heard shouting as the two vessels collided. The US Coast Guard said that on-scene reports indicated that all 45 people on the ferry and all six people on the boat were accounted for. All of those injured were aboard the ferry, according to Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The person who died has not been formally identified. Clearwater Ferry said in a statement: "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."
