- A ferry carrying festivalgoers collided with a private boat in Clearwater, killing one person and injuring about a dozen others, marking a ferry crash horror for those involved.
- Emergency crews declared a mass casualty event, airlifted two trauma patients, and rushed several others to hospitals.
- Authorities confirmed the private boat fled the scene, and the US Coast Guard has launched an investigation into this ferry crash horror.
A Sunday night boat crash in Clearwater has left at least one person dead and many more injured. A ferry carrying around 50 people collided with a private boat near the Memorial Causeway bridge. The ferry was transporting passengers from the final night of the Sugar Sand Festival when the tragedy happened. After the crash, the private boat, carrying six people, fled the scene without stopping. None of the six people on the smaller boat suffered injuries. In contrast, the crash injured many ferry passengers and stranded the ferry on a nearby sandbar, adding to the horror.
Emergency Response Declared a Mass Casualty Event
The US Coast Guard and Clearwater Police quickly declared the situation a “mass casualty event.” Emergency crews, including helicopters and ambulances, rushed to the scene. Photos show passengers being led to safety by brave first responders standing in the shallow waters. Six passengers were classified as trauma patients. Two of them had to be airlifted to hospitals. Ten ambulances were on the scene, treating and transporting patients as fast as possible. Clearwater Police urged drivers to avoid Memorial Causeway as the area filled with flashing lights and sirens. This response was crucial to managing the ferry crash horror.
Witnesses Describe Chaos and Heartbreak
Witnesses quickly posted online about the chaos. One person on X (formerly Twitter) described seeing four helicopters and more ambulances arriving by the minute. “This is awful,” they wrote. The ferry carried 42 passengers and three crew members at the time of the crash. All injured people were on board the ferry. Rescue teams made sure everyone was safely removed from the ferry and given medical care. Emergency services remained at the scene into the night to treat injuries and manage the rescue, creating a scene of both chaos and ferry crash horror.
Investigation Underway After Hit-and-Run on the Water
Authorities have confirmed that the private boat that struck the ferry fled the scene after the collision. The US Coast Guard and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are now leading the investigation. Officials are working to find out how the crash happened and who is responsible for this ferry crash horror. More details are expected as the investigation continues.
