Ferry crash in New York: With ‘full speed right into the pier’

The rush hour commuter ferry that crashed on Wednesday morning in New York had 326 people aboard. The ferry had 320 passengers, 5 crew members, and the ferry captain. Out of the 326 people, “Two people were critically hurt -- one with a head injury. Nine were serious, 17 were guarded and dozens more were minor. No passengers were thrown into the water,” according to San Diego’s NBC news report on Jan. 9, 2013.

One of the ferry’s passengers said that she was “being tossed in the air and knocked unconscious” the moment that the 141-foot Seastreak Wall Street ferry crashed into Pier 11 in Manhattan.

The rush hour commuter Seastreak ferry had left Highlands, N.J., at 8 a.m. on Wednesday morning. The Seastreak ferry usually takes commuters from ports in “New Jersey to Pier 11, East 35th Street and World Financial Center.”

When the ferry approached the Wall Street Pier 11 at 8:43 a.m., it struck a loading barge while trying to dock. According to city officials, the Seastreak ferry hit two slips as it was going about 11 to 15 mph. The front of the Seastreak ferry incurred a large gash because of the crash.

One of the ferry’s passengers reported that the ferry appeared to be heading "full speed right into the pier."

During the ferry crash there was a jolt and passengers were thrown out of their seats, knocked off their feet, thrown on the ground, thrown down stairwells, thrown forward into their seats, or thrown against walls. None of the passengers were thrown into the water.

After the ferry crash, the commuter ferry docked and uninjured passengers anxiously raced off the ferry.

According to police officials, 74 people were taken to hospitals after the ferry crash. Out of the 326 people, two people are critically hurt, nine were seriously hurt, 17 were “guarded,” and dozens more sustained minor injuries.

Wednesday’s ferry crash is being investigated by the Coast Guard and by the National Transportation Safety Board. As part of the routine investigation, the ferry’s captain is being tested for drug and alcohol.

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