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NY ferry in collision with pier NY ferry in collision with pier
(about 2 hours later)
A ferry has crashed into a pier on New York's Staten Island injuring at least 60 people, officials say. A ferry has crashed into a pier on New York's Staten Island injuring 37 people, officials say.
Emergency services are attending but it is not believed that any of those injured has been seriously hurt. None were seriously hurt in the collision, which was said to have been caused by a mechanical fault.
In 2003, 11 people were killed when the ferry Andrew J Barberi crashed into a pier on Staten Island. The Andrew J Barberi ferry has a history of accidents. In 2003, 11 people were killed when it crashed into a pier on Staten Island.
In the latest incident the ferry, which connects the island with Manhattan, is reported to have hit the St George Ferry Terminal on Saturday morning. The ferry, which connects the island with Manhattan, hit the St George Ferry Terminal at 0930 on Saturday.
Janette Sadik-Khan, commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation, said that it appeared that the captain could not slow down as the boat approached the dock.
"It looks like there was a mechanical problem," she said.
She said 17 of the 37 people injured were taken to hospitals, but none suffered serious injuries.
'Brake, brake'
Passenger Jason Watler, 30, said he noticed the ferry was approaching the shore at a faster speed than usual.
He says he then ran to the back of the boat, before hearing a "real big boom".
"I stumbled a little bit," he told AP news agency.
"People were screaming. People were crying".
A New York City Police Department (NYPD) spokesman told the BBC that the ferry had made a "hard landing".A New York City Police Department (NYPD) spokesman told the BBC that the ferry had made a "hard landing".
The city mayor's office said the injured were being taken to nearby hospitals.
I heard over the loudspeaker someone say 'brake, brake,' and it just bounced off Ferry passenger
A spokesman told the BBC it was "definitely" an accident, but wouldn't speculate as to the cause.
The NYPD says there were between 200 and 300 people on board.The NYPD says there were between 200 and 300 people on board.
Police and fire department officials say they are unsure how severe the accident was or how much damage was done to the ferry, AP news agency reported.
One witness, Antonina Rose, said ambulances were at the Staten Island terminal, the New York Times reported.One witness, Antonina Rose, said ambulances were at the Staten Island terminal, the New York Times reported.
"I felt this big boom, the whole building was trembling," she said. "The whole building was trembling," she said.
Another passenger, quoted by Reuters, said the ferry was going too quickly as it approached the dock.Another passenger, quoted by Reuters, said the ferry was going too quickly as it approached the dock.
"I heard over the loudspeaker someone say 'brake, brake,' and it just bounced off," he said."I heard over the loudspeaker someone say 'brake, brake,' and it just bounced off," he said.
The same ferry crashed into the same terminal in 2003 at full speed, killing 11 people and injuring 70.
The captain at the time was sentenced to 18 months in prison, after it was found that he had passed out due to doses of painkillers.
The Staten Island Ferry transports 20 million people a year between Staten Island and lower Manhattan.The Staten Island Ferry transports 20 million people a year between Staten Island and lower Manhattan.