Florida boat collision leaves 1 dead and at least 10 people injured

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — 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 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 Monday at a news conference showed the recreational vehicle plowing into the ferry from behind at dusk near a causeway.

“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.”

The operator of the recreational boat was cooperating with authorities, and a breathalyzer 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 (5.6 kilometers) 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.

Fish and wildlife officers “would always recommend that if someone is involved in an accident, you remain at the scene,” said Capt. Matthew Dallarosa of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

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,” 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. The crash took place in an area without speed restrictions.

“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 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.