Latest news with #JoseCastro
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Clearwater Ferry crash: Firefighters describe rescue efforts after deadly boating incident
The Brief Clearwater firefighters who responded to help Clearwater Ferry crash victims Sunday evening described the rescue efforts in the direct aftermath. More than 40 people were on the ferry when the crash happened, with 10 reported injuries and a 41-year-old father of two, Jose Castro, killed. The operator of the recreational boat, Jannus Live owner Jeffry Knight, stepped down from his role with the venue after the crash. CLEARWATER, Fla. - Clearwater firefighters said they were eating dinner at their fire station when they got a call about a crash between a 37-foot recreational boat and the Clearwater Ferry Sunday evening near the Memorial Causeway Bridge. What they're saying "Multiple calls received, multiple patients, multiple injured, and [we] quickly realize this is going to be something significant," said Lt. Jason Haynor, with Clearwater Fire and Rescue. RELATED: Jannus Live owner steps down after Clearwater Ferry crash leaves 1 dead, 10 injured When Haynor and his crew arrived at the scene, they realized how serious the accident was. Because of the low tide, first responders were able to wade through waste-deep water from the shore to the ferry. "In 20 years, I've had no call like this," Haynor said. "You have people screaming. You have injured. You have parents screaming for their kids, trying to get off the vessel." Follow FOX 13 on YouTube "Obviously, chaos would be like the easiest word to describe it," added Nathan Vasquez, a Clearwater fire medic who was among the first to board the ferry. "If there was any major bleeding that I could stop, I would stop it, triage them and move on to the next patient." The backstory More than 40 people were on the ferry when the crash happened, with 10 reported injuries and a 41-year-old father of two, Jose Castro, killed. PREVIOUS: Clearwater Ferry crash: Jannus Live owner's attorney addresses 'misinformation' as investigation unfolds The first responders said they just wanted to work as quickly as they could to save lives. "When you get a response like this with multiple patients and significant patients, there's so many people that are part of the success of the operation, from command to boots on the ground triaging to the medics doing transport and treatment. I mean it really is a full team effort," Haynor said. "From top to bottom, it really does require everybody being properly trained, equipped, ready to respond. This stuff doesn't go well by accident." READ: Family of Clearwater Ferry crash victim mourns loss as investigation continues: 'We need justice' Dig deeper There were six other people on the recreational vessel. In a letter from his attorney to investigators, the boat's operator, Jeffry Knight, denied speculation he left the scene. His attorney claims his client stayed to help the victims and only left after emergency crews arrived, and his boat was taking on too much water. Knight owned Jannus Live, but an announcement Wednesday said he was stepping down from his position with the concert venue in St. Petersburg. The business, however, will continue operating with its existing management. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Axios
30-04-2025
- Axios
Clearwater Ferry crash: Driver's DUI history revealed
Jeff Knight, the St. Petersburg man who crashed into a Clearwater ferry on Sunday, has a criminal record that includes three DUI arrests and a history of legal trouble on the water. (WTSP) Authorities have said no alcohol was detected in his system after the crash. The family of Jose Castro, the 41-year-old father of two killed in the ferry crash, told the Tampa Bay Times they want justice. "I want this guy to pay for what he did, for what we're going through right now. My family is destroyed," his sister, Sandy Todd, told the newspaper. 🏛️ Florida could soon ban fluoride in drinking water after the House passed a bill yesterday that prevents local governments from using any "water quality additive." It now awaits DeSantis' signature. (Tampa Bay Times)
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.
New York Post
29-04-2025
- New York Post
Frantic mayday call revealed chaos after deadly Florida ferry boat collision: ‘Ferry is adrift'
Newly released audio of a mayday call captured the frantic moments in the aftermath of the deadly collision between a Florida ferry and a private boat Sunday night, which left one dead and 10 others injured. 'Mayday, mayday, mayday! There's been a boat collision. The Clearwater ferry, underneath the Clearwater Memorial Causeway. The Clearwater ferry is adrift,' the unnamed caller announced to the US Coast Guard in the eight-second audio. The water taxi, operated by PSTA and the Clearwater Ferry, was carrying 45 passengers onboard at the end of the 17-day Sugar Sand Festival. 5 A webcam captures the deadly Florida collision between a ferry and another boat on April 27, 2025. City of Clearwater The collision was quickly declared a 'mass casualty incident' by authorities who recalled the 'horrific screaming' from the background of 911 calls. Jose Castro, 41, was identified as the ferry passenger killed in the collision. Still, officials said the crash could have been worse. A worker on the ferry was hailed a hero for his actions. 'Efforts of a ferry crew member likely saved lives last night,' Clearwater Police Chief Eric Ganday said Monday. 5 The damaged Clearwater Ferry sits on a sandbar after the collision. AP 5 The deadly collision happened near the Memorial Causeway in Clearwater, Florida. City of Clearwater Officials also released footage of the deadly wreck. A web camera set up in nearby Coachman Park picked up the water taxi traveling near the causeway at 8:43 p.m. The 40-foot ferry was putting along when the private 37-foot boat raced into frame. The stationary camera, overlooking a marina and the water, captured the moment of impact when the smaller boat landed on top of the ferry. 5 The ferry's roof was damaged in the incident. AP Ten passengers were left with injuries ranging from scrapes to broken bones and head wounds. '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,' Clearwater Ferry wrote on Facebook. The private boat, operated by Jeff Knight, immediately fled the scene, officials said. Knight was found hours later, nearly four miles from the wreck. He voluntarily submitted to a breathalyzer test, with police noting he had zero trace of alcohol in his system. 5 Officials and first responders stand on a beach near the crash site. No charges have been filed yet as officials are working with prosecutors to determine the cause and aftermath of the crash. 'We are currently working with the state attorney's office to make sure we fit whatever legal definitions for hit and run should or shouldn't be, based on the circumstances that persisted that evening,' Florida Fish and Wildlife officials said.
