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One dead after hit-and-run boat crash in Florida | One dead after hit-and-run boat crash in Florida |
(about 3 hours later) | |
One person has died and at least 10 others were injured after a boat crash in the city of Clearwater, Florida, police have said. | |
The Clearwater Ferry, which had 45 people on board, including two crew members, was struck by a boat which then left the scene. The boat was later identified by another law enforcement agency, Clearwater government officials said. | The Clearwater Ferry, which had 45 people on board, including two crew members, was struck by a boat which then left the scene. The boat was later identified by another law enforcement agency, Clearwater government officials said. |
City officials asked for any witnesses to the crash to contact authorities. | City officials asked for any witnesses to the crash to contact authorities. |
The city's fire department declared a mass casualty event because of the "number and severity of injuries". Clearwater police said 10 people were hurt in the crash. | |
Earlier the US Coast Guard said 12 people had been taken to a nearby hospital. | |
All of the injuries involved people aboard the ferry, which came to rest on a sandbar. Officials said two of the victims were seriously injured. | |
In video of the crash released by police on Monday, a boat was seen rapidly approaching the ferry from behind before the collision. | |
Police also released a recording of an emergency call where someone can be heard saying: "Mayday, mayday, mayday! There's been a boat collision." | |
Police responded at 20:43 local time on Sunday (00:43 GMT on Monday). | Police responded at 20:43 local time on Sunday (00:43 GMT on Monday). |
At a news conference on Monday, officials said the recreational boat that crashed into the ferry was found about 3.5 miles (5.6km) from the crash scene. | |
The operator of the recreational boat was co-operating with authorities, and a breathalyser test showed they were not drunk at the time. | |
Investigators are determining whether any charges will be filed in the case. | |
Witnesses told local media outlets that the boat shattered the back of the ferry and left a huge dent. Nearby boaters used their own vessels to take a number of the ferry passengers to safety. | |
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will handle the crash investigation, helped by the Coast Guard. | |
Clearwater is on Florida's west coast, near the cities of Tampa and St Petersburg. The ferry takes passengers from Clearwater's downtown to a popular beach. The crash happened on the last day of a local sand sculpture festival. | Clearwater is on Florida's west coast, near the cities of Tampa and St Petersburg. The ferry takes passengers from Clearwater's downtown to a popular beach. The crash happened on the last day of a local sand sculpture festival. |