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Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Yahoo
Florida boat collision leaves one dead and at least 10 people injured
A recreational boat crashed into a ferry transporting 45 people on the final day of a sand-sculpting festival in Florida, killing one person and injuring at least 10 others, officials said. The crash late on Sunday in calm waters off Clearwater on the western Florida coast set off an emergency response due to the high number of possible casualties. Video of the accident released by law enforcement on Monday at a news conference showed the recreational vehicle ploughing into the ferry. 'We were just enjoying the ride and all of a sudden we heard the first mate yelling, 'Hey hey hey,'' Marco Vacheco, who was on the ferry with Brenda Alvarez and their two young children, told TV station WFTS. 'And we looked back behind us and this big yacht just came through the boat.' The operator of the recreational boat was co-operating with authorities, and a breathalyser test showed no alcohol impairment, officials said. The recreational boat stayed in the accident area for a short time; officers encountered it about 3.5 miles away. Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were working with the State Attorney's Office to determine if any charges would be filed, officials said. Emergency dispatchers answering 911 calls from the accident scene heard 'horrific screaming' in the background, said Clearwater Police Chief Eric Gandy. The injured passengers had broken bones, soft-tissue injuries and head injuries, said Tony Tedesco, EMS chief for Clearwater Fire Rescue. All of those injured were adults aboard the ferry. 'When our crews first arrived, they found themselves in the water trying to rescue people,' Mr Tedesco said. 'On top of that, they're trying to figure out who was the most injured.' The ferry came to rest on a sandbar just south of the Memorial Causeway bridge. 'You never expect any of this to happen,' Brenda Alvarez said. 'We can't understand how fast they were going, like how that is even logically possible that they hit and were able to get off like that.' The family was not injured in the crash. The US Coast Guard said in a social media post that on-scene reports indicated that all 45 people on the ferry and all six people on the boat were accounted for. 'All local hospitals have been notified. Multiple trauma alerts have been called with helicopters transporting two of the more seriously injured,' the post said. Videos on social media showed several first responders rushing to the scene with lights flashing. Several Good Samaritans also helped the ferry passengers get to safety, officials said. Sunday was the last day of the Sugar Sand Festival, a 17-day sand-sculpting festival in Clearwater Beach. The Coast Guard said the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission will lead the investigation into the cause of the crash.
Toronto Star
28-04-2025
- Toronto Star
Florida boat collision leaves 1 dead, at least a dozen injured
CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — A boat crashed into a ferry transporting 45 people on the final day of a sand-sculpting festival in Florida, killing one person and injuring at least 12 others, officials said. The crash late Sunday in calm waters off Clearwater on the western Florida coast set off an emergency response due to the high number of possible casualties. 'We were just enjoying the ride and all of a sudden we heard the first mate yelling. 'hey hey hey,'' Marco Vacheco, who was on the ferry with Brenda Alvarez and their two young children, told WFTS. 'And we looked back behind us and this big yacht just came through the boat.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The boat then fled the scene, authorities said. The Clearwater Police Department posted on X that there were multiple injuries, and the crash in the Intracoastal Waterway had been declared 'a mass casualty incident' by the Clearwater Fire & Rescue Department due to the number of injuries. All of those injured were aboard the ferry. Police did not provide any information about the person who died, but a news conference was scheduled for Monday afternoon. The ferry came to rest on a sandbar just south of the Memorial Causeway bridge and all patients and passengers have been removed. 'You never expect any of this to happen,' Brenda Alvarez said. 'We can't understand how fast they were going, like how that is even logically possible that they hit and were able to get off like that.' The family was not injured in the crash. The U.S. Coast Guard said in a social media post that on-scene reports indicate that all 45 people on the ferry and all six people on the boat were accounted for. In an update on Monday morning, the Coast Guard said 12 people were taken to a local hospital. Police did not immediately provide any information about the boat that fled the scene. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'All local hospitals have been notified. Multiple trauma alerts have been called with helicopters transporting two of the more seriously injured,' the post said. Videos on social media showed several first responders rushing to the scene with lights flashing. Sunday was the last day of the Sugar Sand Festival, a 17-day sand-sculpting festival in Clearwater Beach. Police cautioned drivers to avoid Memorial Causeway. The Coast Guard said the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission will lead the investigation into the cause of the crash.
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Mass casualty in deadly ferry crash leaves at least one dead in Florida
At least one person is dead and a dozen more injured as chilling pictures emerge of the ferry that was damaged in a collision with a private boat. The U.S. Coast Guard and police described the incident on Sunday as a 'mass casualty event' as they worked through the night to pull people ashore. The Clearwater Ferry was shuttling festivalgoers to and from the final night of the 17-day Sugar Sand Festival when it was hit by a private boat carrying six people. That boat swiftly fled the scene as the ferry - carrying 43 passengers and two crew - was forced to come to a rest on a sandbar near the Memorial Causeway bridge. Photos show the extent of the damage to the small ferry, with parts of the roof torn down and plastic chairs shattered from the impact of the collision. Other pictures captured the moment passengers were led to safety on shore with first responders standing on the sandbank as they assessed the ferry. In all, six passengers were described as 'trauma patients' and rushed to various hospitals around the state. Two of them had to be airlifted to hospital in the medical helicopters which arrived to assist. The remaining passengers were assessed and treated by ten ambulance and emergency service vehicles which responded to the initial call. Clearwater Police Department issued a statement on Sunday night urging motorists to avoid Memorial Causeway as they rushed patients to various hospitals. Police said: '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.' Police also revealed the 'boat that struck the ferry fled the scene' after the crash. It was later located with six passengers on board - none of whom were injured. 'We believe that the boat responsible for hitting the ferry left the scene immediately, and we believe that our law enforcement partners may have that boat,' Clearwater Police spokesperson Rob Shaw said. Several pictures appear to reveal the moment the suspected driver of the boat was escorted from the Belleair Boat Ramp south of the crash site with an investigator. One of the ferry passengers, Marco Vacheco, told 10 Tampa Bay that they were 'hit from behind'. He said: '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 she 'hasn't felt the baby move' since the crash and was about to head to the hospital to get checked out. 'I'm a little worried I haven't felt the baby move. It's very scary.' Alvarez, who was on board with her husband and their two children, fell between two seats as the collision occurred. She said the impact caused her 'whole body to hurt'. 'We just wanted to get to our cars and get home. We never, you never expect anything to happen.' She went on to say that it's hard to truly comprehend 'how fast [the other boat] was going, how that was even logically possible. She said: 'It's horrible. It shattered, it shattered the whole back of the boat, left a huge dent.' But Alvarez praised first responders who bravely rushed in to assist her children off the ferry. She said: '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.' It's understood as many as 12 patients were rushed to various hospitals, with more still evaluated on the scene. All of the injured patients were on board the ferry at the time of the crash. 'I don't even know how many ambulances are there. Every minute there's more and more. This is awful.' Police said emergency crews had removed every passenger and patient from the ferry by about 10.30pm and had accounted for everyone. The U.S. Coast Guard and Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will lead an investigation into the crash.
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Daily Mail
One dead, many feared injured in Florida mass casualty Ferry incident
At least one person is dead and a dozen more injured as chilling new pictures emerge of the ferry which was damaged in a collision with a private boat and the survivors as they were ushered to safety. The US Coast Guard and police swiftly declared the Sunday night tragedy a 'mass casualty event' as they worked through the night to pull people ashore. The Clearwater Ferry was shuttling festivalgoers to and from the final night of the 17-day Sugar Sand Festival when it was hit by a private boat carrying six people. That boat swiftly fled the scene as the ferry - carrying 43 passengers and two crew - was forced to come to a rest on a sandbar near the Memorial Causeway bridge. Extraordinary photos show the sheer extent of the damage to the small ferry, with parts of the roof entirely torn down and plastic chairs collapsed in on themselves from the impact of the collision. Other pictures captured the moment passengers were led to safety on shore with brave first responders standing on the sandbank as they assessed the ferry. In all, six passengers were described as 'trauma patients' and rushed to various hospitals around the state. Two of them had to be airlifted to hospital in the two medical helicopters which arrived to assist. The remainder of the passengers were assessed and treated by 10 ambulance and emergency service vehicles which responded to the initial call - racing to the scene with their sirens blaring and lights flashing as details trickled out about the tragedy. Clearwater Police Department issued a statement late on Sunday night urging motorists to avoid Memorial Causeway as they rush patients to various hospitals. 'We're working a boat crash off the Memorial Causeway bridge that has resulted in multiple injuries,' police said in the statement. '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.' Police also revealed the 'boat that struck the ferry fled the scene' after the crash. It was later located with six passengers on board - none of whom were injured. 'We believe that the boat responsible for hitting the ferry left the scene immediately, and we believe that our law enforcement partners may have that boat,' Clearwater Police spokesperson Rob Shaw said. Several pictures appear to reveal the moment the suspected driver of the boat was escorted from the Belleair Boat Ramp south of the crash site with an investigator. One of the ferry passengers, Marco Vacheco, told 10 Tampa Bay that they were 'hit from behind. It was like a big yacht, it hit from behind, like it came through where the captain sits, like he was pinned down,' he said. His pregnant wife Brenda Alvarez told ABC Action News she 'hasn't felt the baby move' since the crash and was about to head to the hospital to get checked out. 'I'm a little worried I haven't felt the baby move. It's very scary.' Alvarez, who was on board with her husband and their two children, fell between two seats as the collision occured. She said the impact caused her 'whole body to hurt. We just wanted to get to our cars and get home. We never, you never expect anything to happen.' She went on to say that it's hard to truly comprehend 'how fast [the other boat] was going, how that was even logically possible. 'It's horrible. It shattered, it shattered the whole back of the boat, left a huge dent,' she said. But Alvarez praised first responders who bravely rushed in to assist her children off the ferry. '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. It's understood as many as 12 patients were rushed to various hospitals, with more still evaluated on the scene. All of the injured patients were on board the ferry at the time of the crash. One horrified onlooker took to X moments after the crash, revealing: 'A regular boat just hit the ferry in Clearwater. I think over 4 helicopters airlifting people out so far. I don't even know how many ambulances are there. Every minute there's more and more. This is awful.' Police said emergency crews had removed every passenger and patient from the ferry by about 10.30pm and had accounted for everyone. The US Coast Guard and Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will lead an investigation into the crash.
The Irish Sun
28-04-2025
- The Irish Sun
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. 5 Law enforcement investigate an accident involving a Clearwater Ferry at the Memorial Causeway on Sunday Credit: Rex 5 Investigators and rescue workers on the beach near the crash site Credit: Rex 5 A man believed to be 'the driver of the boat' (R) that crashed into the Clearwater Ferry Credit: Rex 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. Pictures of the aftermath show the boat's rear smashed in, with chairs collapsed in on themselves and parts of the roof completely destroyed. 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. Cops also cautioned drivers to avoid Memorial Causeway while they urgently rushed patients to various hospitals. 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. Most read in The US Sun '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. At least 5 killed as plane crashes into the sea in Thailand during drill 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. The man suspected of being behind the wheel of the boat which fled the scene was pictured walking with an investigator. One terrified onlooker who witnessed the horror "I think over 4 helicopters airlifting people out so far." They added: "I don't even know how many ambulances are there. "Every minute there's more and more. This is awful." Emergency services had removed and accounted for every passenger on board the ferry by about 10:30pm, according to cops. They also confirmed that one person had died from their injuries. Clearwater Police Department said: "The boat that fled the scene has been identified by another law enforcement agency." The US Coast Guard and Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission will now launch a probe to investigate the crash. Read more on the Irish Sun It comes after an out-of-control Dramatic footage showed the vessel smashing into an iconic lake as onlookers watch on in . 5 Investigators search the wreckage of the Clearwater Ferry after the crash Credit: AP 5 Rescue workers gather at the Seminole Boat ramp north of where the boat crashed into the ferry Credit: AP
